Georges Mathieu, a well renowned military French painter is making headlines in the art market off late. Mathieu is known for his bold abstract paintings and his unique execution of ideas. Many art lovers recognize his work. The giant, though, has been in slumber for a while. However, as fate seems to have turned as a revolution of his works has made abuzz to art scene today.
Founder of lyrical abstracticism
Mathieu George is one of the founding fathers of the European art movement known as lyrical abstraction. Lyrical abstraction is a descriptive term that characterizes a type of abstract painting that is related to abstract expressionism. It's a style that was a distinct trend in post-war modernist paintings. Estades.com best describes the work of Mathieu. For the majority of the french artists, the style led to an opening to personal expression. George Mathieu falls under the category of artists who opted to go with the style. He launched the style in 1947 and the movement immediately became influential. After ten years, some of his works were exported to the United States after the first showcase. Mathieu George used to perform in front of a live audience as he worked. He delivered his works using improvised gestures right from a blank canvas. For an artist to achieve such movements, their state of mind had to be quite ecstatic as the moments had to be pure and raw. It usually wowed the audience in general as the gestures were swift to allow the spirit to continue creating the momentum of inspiration. This earned him the title of the "fastest painter in the world."
Lyrical's abstraction rise in France
Lyrical abstraction was used to describe two yet separate movements in the post-war modernist paintings. In the 1940s, the French tried to regain their artistic identity following the style. Artists who dedicated their craft to this style would dive into figurative paintings. The style gave focus to light and gesture. The style is opposed to the previous cubist and surrealist movements as well as general abstraction. The movement attracted a huge following as more than one hundred artists were practicing the style in Europe. Georges Mathieu, one of the founding fathers held that lyrical abstraction. It was about more emphasis on color than shape, no premeditated moves before the beginning of a painting, primacy of speed of execution, and an ecstatic state of mind of the artist.
Why Mathieu George's lyrical abstraction is becoming a trend
The style which was well known throughout the 1950s and 1970s is making a return in the art scene. His works are well known in the whole world yet they are very undervalued. At the peak of his time, the painter's works fell into the hands of some of the greatest dealers. These include Facchetti, Drouin, and Stadler. It brought him many acclaims. Afterward, however, his works endured a long period of purgatory which lasted till his time of death. Today, the trend seems to have overturned itself as some of his works in private, have gone over the 2 million euro bar. It is a significant indication of the value seen in the paintings. After a long time in slumber, the artist has made waves at Art Basel's ArtUnlimited. It is a gigantic modern and contemporary event that is reserved for astonishing sculptures, vibrant performances, and out-of-the-world installations. It shows the growing excitement that is being seen in the value of the works.