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Galerie Hurtebize in Cannes presents “Bosse” (1971) by Georges Mathieu, a pioneer of lyrical abstraction. Created using a mixed technique on paper, this work perfectly embodies the artist’s innovative spirit and technical mastery.

Born in 1921, Georges Mathieu has become a leading figure in lyrical abstraction, an artistic movement that favors spontaneity and emotional expression. In contrast to geometric abstraction, Mathieu favors immediacy and improvisation, creating works in which every stroke reflects pure, immediate emotion. His bold approach not only marked his era, but continues to inspire contemporary artists. His public performances, in which he painted gigantic works in a matter of minutes, captured worldwide attention and set new standards in the world of abstract art.

“Bosse” is a perfect illustration of Georges Mathieu‘s lyrical abstraction. The work is composed of a set of very fine gold, black and white signs, arranged in such a way as to create a calligraphic harmony. Positioned in the center of a deep black background, this minimalist arrangement of lines and shapes induces an intense energy. The contrast of colors and the finesse of the strokes underline the artist’s dexterity and the depth of his artistic vision.

1. Color Palette: The work uses a restricted palette of three colors – gold, black and white – which reinforces the visual and emotional impact of the composition. This deliberate limitation of colors highlights the brilliance of the golds and the sobriety of the blacks and whites, creating a captivating visual tension.
2. Techniques used: Finely worked in gouache, every line and sign testifies to the artist’s speed of execution and freedom of gesture. This technique captures the immediacy of gesture and the fluidity of movement, making each work unique and spontaneous.
3. Harmonious Layout: Signs are arranged to create a harmonious, balanced whole, evoking abstract calligraphy. This arrangement reveals a meticulously considered composition, where each element finds its place to form a coherent, expressive whole.

Georges Mathieu overturned theories of painting by defining four fundamental criteria for creating his works:

1. Primacy of Speed of Execution: Speed captures the essence of the moment and expresses raw energy. This approach favors spontaneity, eliminating any form of calculation or rigid planning.
2. No Pre-existence of Forms: Shapes are not predefined, allowing total creative freedom. This absence of prior structure gives rise to pure authenticity of artistic expression.
3. No premeditation of gestures: Every gesture is spontaneous, reflecting the artist’s authenticity and sincerity. This method values instinct and raw emotion, as opposed to intellectualization and rigid technique.
4. Necessity of a Second State of Concentration: The artist must achieve a state of intense, almost meditative concentration to create works of such intensity. This state enables the artist to transcend ordinary consciousness and access a deeper, truer form of expression.

Prior to his flamboyant 80s period, often referred to as the “fireworks” period, Georges Mathieu explored a significant calligraphic phase. It was during this early period that Mathieu defined the foundations of his distinctive style. Influenced by oriental calligraphy, he developed a technique that blends speed and precision of gesture.

In 1957, during a stay in Japan, Georges Mathieu came into contact with Japanese calligraphy and tradition, which considerably enriched his artistic approach. André Malraux had already described Mathieu as a “Western calligrapher” in 1950, establishing a link between his work and Far Eastern calligraphy. Mathieu was inspired by the calligraphy techniques used by Buddhist monks, where writing and ink painting are often inseparable.

In the Far East, calligraphy is often imbued with a philosophical and spiritual aspect, in contrast to Western calligraphy, which is more focused on the aesthetics of beautiful writing. Mathieu has transcended this dichotomy by integrating the speed and spontaneity of Eastern calligraphy into his own work. In this sense, his works are not limited to mere aesthetics, but become a pure expression of emotion and energy.

Georges Mathieu bases his research on the abstraction of his signs. For him, the abstract sign denies any meaning prior to its creation, in contrast to traditional calligraphy where each sign has a precise meaning. In 1963, in his book “Au-delà du tachisme”, Mathieu explains that the background of his canvases takes on more uniform tones, making the signs more independent and precise. This rapidity of execution and spontaneity of gesture translates raw, immediate emotion, a principle that is repeated in “Bosse“.

Galerie Hurtebize in Cannes invites you to discover “Bosse” and plunge into the expressive, dynamic world of Georges Mathieu. This unique piece is a true testament to his innovative artistic approach. “Bosse” is an invitation to feel Mathieu’s creative energy and appreciate the beauty of lyrical abstraction in all its splendor.

Hans Hartung, born in Germany in 1904, is a central figure in 20th-century abstract art. His work, marked by a relentless search for new forms of expression, bears witness to his creative genius and lasting influence on modern art. Through his works, Hartung explored a variety of techniques and styles, constantly evolving and pushing back the boundaries of abstraction. This article explores three key works by Hartung, produced in 1939, 1976 and 1988, illustrating his artistic journey and the evolution of his technique.

In 1939, the year of his marriage to Roberta Gonzalez, Hans Hartung created a landmark body of work that testifies to his brief exploration of geometrically inspired abstraction. This period of his work is characterized by a move away from his usual abstract representations, concentrating instead on shapes, lines and structures.

This 1939 piece is emblematic of this experimental phase. It presents a balanced composition of geometric shapes and lines drawn with great precision and delicacy, reflecting Hartung’s meticulous search for a new aesthetic. Shades of gray and beige dominate the palette, creating a sober, elegant ambience that emphasizes the purity of form.

The work also shows the influence of modern European art, notably Cubism and Constructivism, movements that had a profound impact on Hartung’s quest for artistic innovation. Although it is not certain whether this piece was a wedding gift, it represents an intimate link between his personal life and his artistic evolution.

To fully appreciate this work, one must consider not only its visual beauty but also its historical context. It marks a milestone in Hartung‘s career, characterized by a constant quest for innovation and artistic expression.

In the 1970s, Hans Hartung found himself in a transitional period marked by the transition from the scratch techniques of the 1960s. This period is characterized by a style of abstraction in which he uses energetic, spontaneous brushstrokes to express a new intensity and freedom compared to his early geometric explorations.

This 1976 work, characterized by swirling black lines and bursts of vibrant color, is a good illustration of this period. Here, Hartung adopts a gestural approach, where each brushstroke seems a direct extension of his state of mind. The bright blue running through the work adds a depth and vitality that contrasts magnificently with the darker tones.

Blue is not chosen at random; it demonstrates Hartung‘s ability to use color to evoke different atmospheres. A symbol of calm and serenity, blue blends with the turbulence of black lines, creating a captivating visual tension.

This work also illustrates Hart’s move away from the scratching technique typical of the 60s, and a new approach to abstraction.

Hartung‘s lyrical abstraction reflects a quest for freedom and pure expression. By freeing himself from formal constraints, he succeeds in conveying feelings and sensations with a rare immediacy. His 1976 work embodies this quest for direct, instinctive artistic communication.

The 1980s marked the last period of his career, the ultimate culmination of his abstraction, which was very different from his earlier paintings. From 1986 onwards, Hartung was very weak and could no longer manipulate the instruments he usually used to paint. He then turned to innovative techniques, working on the projection of paint streams using zip-lines, airless spray guns and garden sulfate machines.

This 1988 work, created just after the death of his wife Anna-Eva Bergman in 1987 and the year before his own death, is typical of his work during this period. Hartung emancipated himself from traditional forms, articulating his work around two recurring vocabularies: interlacing and zone-by-zone color. He creates a background with a gun that sprays color in a nebulous manner, then draws over it with a garden sprayer. The colors, dominated by shades of blue and white, show a technical mastery and increased sophistication in his use of materials. The contrast between bursts of blue and white textures creates a rich visual composition, illustrating the evolution of his lyrical abstraction. Subtle fluorescent yellow speckling also appears in the work, adding a touch of luminosity and depth, and demonstrating once again Hartung‘s ability to exploit every nuance to enrich his compositions.

Hartung approaches the new tools with the same curiosity and rigor he had for the more traditional techniques. He experimented, moving from discovery to mastery, physically memorizing the possibilities offered by these new tools.

The 1988 work reflects this technical exploration, with the rapid, controlled execution that characterizes his style. Speed of execution is an essential feature of this work. The tools used demand a double mastery: that of gesture and that of time. Hartung, who has always experimented with the temporal dimension of his techniques, knows perfectly well how to play with these elements to create dynamic, moving compositions.

Hans Hartung left an indelible mark on abstract art, constantly exploring new forms of expression. His works from 1939, 1976 and 1988 bear witness to his stylistic evolution and his capacity for constant innovation. Through his various periods, Hartung always sought to capture the essence of emotion and movement, leaving a rich and varied artistic legacy.

Galerie Hurtebize is proud to present its exhibition, “French Landscapes : Impressionnism and Postimpressionnism“, offering a fascinating immersion in French landscapes as interpreted by the emblematic figures of these artistic movements. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, our exhibition takes on a special resonance. A century and a half ago, a group of daring painters broke with convention to explore new ways of capturing the moment on canvas, giving birth to what would come to be recognized as one of the greatest artistic revolutions in history.

This exhibition is a vibrant tribute to a movement that changed the course of art forever. It invites visitors to contemplate works that continue to embody the spirit of innovation and freedom of expression that animated these revolutionary artists. As you browse through the exhibition, you’ll feel the effervescence of that seething period, when every brushstroke testified to a passionate quest to capture the ephemeral.

Our collection is a celebration of the diversity and richness of the French landscape, and a recognition of its central role in the development of these two movements that had a lasting impact on the world art scene.

Works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Albert Marquet, Henri Manguin, Henri Martin and others interact within the exhibition, offering a rich and diverse representation of the French landscape. They celebrate land, water and sky, capturing with a personal touch the beauty of France that continues to fascinate and inspire.

It is with great pleasure that we open our doors to reveal canvases where nature is sometimes gentle and soothing, sometimes lively and tumultuous. The works selected for this exhibition celebrate the splendor of the countryside, the poetry of villages and the wildness of the French coastline.

The masters of Impressionism, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir with his famous “Maison Blanche”, revolutionized the perception of light and color, opting for rapid, colorful strokes that capture the essence of the moment. The work presented here, “Paysage“, depicts a view of the olive groves of Cagnes-sur-Mer, a vibrant testimony to the last years of the artist’s life. Renoir, in search of light and warmth for his old age, had settled in the south of France, and it was here, in the heart of luminous Provence, that he captured the immortal beauty of his olive groves at the Domaine des Collettes. The work is a whirlwind of vivid color and movement, where the brush dances and plays with light, evoking the warm breeze of a Mediterranean afternoon. The palpable texture of the paint and the spontaneity of the brushstrokes suggest an artist in full communion with his environment, capturing the vibrant essence of twisted trees and the generous earth that nourishes them. Through these almost abstract forms, we can feel the deep and lasting impact that nature and this particular corner of France have had on the artist.

Alfred Sisley‘s “Matinée d’Octobre près du Port-Marly” is a gentle, melancholy view of a river landscape, with trees leaning gracefully over the water, bathed in the morning mist of early autumn. His work captures the transient essence of light and atmosphere with a subtlety that is the hallmark of the great Impressionist masters. This work by Alfred Sisley is interesting for its location, the town of Port-Marly, at the heart of the artist’s creation. Its counterpart is on show at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Albert Marquet, known for his views of the port of Saint-Tropez, captures the reflections and changing nuances of the water with finesse. “La Route de l’Estaque” and his “Jardin du Luxembourg” scene bring a more structured, colorful perspective, typical of the evolution towards Post-Impressionism. He balances form and color, creating scenes that are both immediate and timeless. Marquet gives us urban and coastal landscapes tinged with a poetic tranquility, a distinct luminous quality that reflects the serenity of a scene from everyday life.

Alongside them are the postimpressionists, whose work, at the heart of Henri Martin‘s “Printemps à la Bastide du Vert” exhibition, shimmers with timeless grace, inviting contemplation. This artist, less popular than his Impressionist counterparts but just as captivating, brought Post-Impressionism to a lyrical and intimate scale. The painting presented here, a depiction of the Bastide du Vert, captures with poetic delicacy the church and poplars that stand like sentinels around the village, under a light that seems to pulsate with the rhythm of rural life. Martin’s technique, with its pointillist strokes and rich palette, transports us into an atmosphere imbued with tranquility. It’s not just technical skill that reveals itself before our eyes, but a deep understanding and love of the French countryside that manifests itself in every part of the canvas. Martin, with his unique ability to translate the peaceful majesty of the landscapes of south-western France, offers us an almost ethereal vision of nature. His work is a call to feel the harmony that emanates from the fields, trees and old stone walls of these places he so cherished.

The exhibition would not be complete without the work of Henri Manguin, an outstanding colorist who followed in the footsteps of the Fauvists with his own sensibility. The year 1921 saw the birth of his work “Paysage autour de Gassin“, a vibrant summer canvas, where warm hues and deep shadows tell the story of a Provence both wild and domesticated. A few years later, in 1925, Manguin paid tribute to the beauty of the Côte d’Azur with “Vue sur le Golfe de Saint-Tropez“. This piece captures the essence of a region bathed in light, where sky and sea embrace in a harmony of blues and greens, punctuated by the reds and yellows of the trees and flowers that adorn this coastal landscape. These two paintings testify to Manguin‘s talent for immortalizing the subtle nuances of southern light. Contemplating them, you can almost feel the warmth of the Mediterranean sun and the scent of pine trees. Their presence in the exhibition offers a fluid transition between the softness of Impressionism and the colorful exuberance of Fauvism, showing how French landscapes continued to inspire and transform art, even after the Impressionist era.

We invite you to let yourself be carried away by this pictorial odyssey. Observe how landscape transcends its simple representation to become a vehicle of emotion and expression. It is a universal language, an adventure in perception where the canvas becomes a meeting place between the viewer and the artist’s inner vision.

Franch Landscape: Impressionnism and Postimpressionnism opens up a silent but powerful dialogue between works and visitors. The gallery awaits you for a unique experience that promises to enrich your understanding of art and make you see France in a new light.

The Galerie Hurtebize team looks forward to seeing you.