MATHIEU Georges

Biography of Georges Mathieu

Georges Mathieu, born in 1921 in Boulogne-sur-Mer and died in 2012, is one of the major pioneers of lyrical abstraction in France. After studying literature, law and philosophy, he turned to painting in the late 1940s. Early on, he affirmed a willingness to break with the classical rules of composition, favoring the spontaneity of gesture and pure emotion. He considers painting as a performance, close to automatic writing. His works, marked by bursts of colours and nerve forms, are in frontal opposition to the rigor of geometric abstraction.

A precursor of lyrical abstraction

Mathieu develops a fast and gesture painting, made in public, sometimes in minutes, on monumental formats. He becomes the emblematic representative of a current that finds echoes in Jackson Pollock's American Painting Action. It is distinguished by its ability to combine raw energy and calligraphic refinement, in vibrating compositions, sometimes enhanced with gold or baroque symbols. His visual language, loaded with tension and delens, resembles a modern form of mystical expressiveness.

International recognition

Very active in the promotion of non-figurative art, Georges Mathieu organized decisive exhibitions in the 1950s and 1960s. His work is hailed throughout the world, from Japan to the United States. He also collaborates with the world of industry and design: he is owed the creation of the Antenne 2 logo, as well as several posters and architectural projects. A member of the Academy of Fine Arts, he remains today a key figure in post-war art.

The works of Georges Mathieu at Galerie 125

Galerie 125 offers original lithographs by Georges Mathieu, powerful reflections of his universe. These works reveal the intensity of the gesture and the richness of its palette, in resonance with the creations of other abstract artists such as Hans Hartung, Zao Wou-Ki and Pierre Soulages. Available online or at the gallery, they are an excellent way to approach signual art in all its power