A captivating tribute to French painter Georges Mathieu is currently on display at the Monnaie de Paris, offering visitors a nostalgic journey through the work of an artist who was once unavoidable but has become relatively forgotten in recent years. The exhibition, running through September 7th, presents a comprehensive collection of works that demonstrate how Mathieu marked his era through boundless creativity and his extravagant, passionate personality.
The Paris Mint has organized this superb homage in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, bringing together a diverse array of works that showcase the full range of Mathieu's artistic experimentation. "We must remember that he was everywhere in the mid-1970s," explains Eric de Chassey, one of the exhibition curators alongside Christian Briend and Beatrice Coullare, speaking about this prominent representative of lyrical abstraction.
Mathieu's influence extended far beyond traditional canvas painting, reaching into the everyday lives of French citizens in ways many may not have realized. Most notably, he designed France's former 10-franc coin, a piece of currency that millions of people carried in their pockets. His creative reach also extended to television, where he created the logo for Antenne 2, as well as the trophy design for the prestigious "7 d'Or" awards ceremony.
The breadth of Mathieu's work was truly remarkable, spanning multiple mediums and applications. His designs appeared on French postage stamps, Treasury bonds, champagne labels, Air France promotional posters, and even the official dinnerware used at the Elysée Palace. The exhibition curators note that it would be almost easier to cite the areas where this self-taught artist never ventured, so extensive was his creative output.
"He was constantly seeking to reinvent himself," confirm the experts organizing the exhibition. This drive for continuous innovation is evident throughout the retrospective, which traces Mathieu's artistic evolution from his early influences through his most celebrated periods.
The exhibition opens with a spectacular presentation of three imposing compositions executed in the 1950s, which are quintessentially representative of his inimitable style. These works demonstrate his unique vision through spontaneous movements, depicting key events in French history. The presentation of "The Battle of Bouvines," "The Victory of Denain," and "The Capetians Everywhere!" provides a dramatic introduction to Mathieu's artistic world.
Visitors can explore the origins of his completely unbridled inspiration through a section dedicated to the period known as "Limbo," which reveals the influence of German painter Wols (1913-1951) on Mathieu's work. "Same technical means: stains, flows, projections," explained this independent and provocative spirit. This influence is evident in a new series of paintings that prominently feature black graphics pierced by red flashes applied directly from the tube.
As curator Christian Briend notes, "From now on, the artist draws inspiration for his titles from figures or episodes from France's medieval past, paradoxically reconnecting with a history painting that was nevertheless looked down upon by critics." This approach reveals how Mathieu's personality became increasingly defined over time.
"He was a man of contradictions," the specialists continue. "He was serious and full of humor, he was avant-garde and monarchist, he looked closely at what was happening around him, but cast a critical eye on his contemporaries with the exception of Wols." These contradictions became a defining characteristic of both his personality and his artistic output.
The United States did not escape his wrath, despite a relationship that began under the best auspices. As a messenger between the French and American art scenes, this admirer of Jackson Pollock initially succeeded in seducing major museums before being rejected by the same institutions a few years later. He would carry this rejection as a deep bitterness throughout his career.
Renowned writer and politician Andre Malraux famously called Mathieu "the first Western calligrapher," a designation that speaks to the unique quality of his artistic expression. The exhibition includes manuscripts that reveal his incomparable handwriting, which was worthy of being considered a drawing in itself.
A significant change in Mathieu's artistic approach occurred in the mid-1960s when geometric lines began appearing in his work. This new style proved particularly appropriate for describing the technical and industrial progress of France's "Thirty Glorious Years" (Trente Glorieuses), a period of rapid economic growth and modernization. This geometric approach was immortalized on the reverse side of the famous 10-franc coin that became so familiar to French citizens.
The exhibition also explores Mathieu's fascination with television, which he described as "a prodigious tool." He willingly put himself on stage through this medium, pioneering what would later be recognized as performance art. "He was the inventor of performance," conclude the organizers, highlighting his role in developing new forms of artistic expression that would influence generations of artists to come.
Figurative elements also appeared in his work, particularly in pieces created for Air France, demonstrating his versatility across different commercial and artistic contexts. A unique example of this approach can be seen in his canvas titled "The Liberation of Orleans by Joan of Arc," which stands out as one of a kind in his body of work.
Mathieu's credentials extended beyond his artistic output to include membership in the Academy of Fine Arts, reflecting the institutional recognition he achieved during his lifetime. His written work also demonstrated considerable skill, with manuscripts revealing handwriting that was itself worthy of artistic appreciation.
The retrospective at the Monnaie de Paris offers visitors a comprehensive look at an artist whose influence on French visual culture was far more extensive than many contemporary observers might realize. From the coins in people's pockets to the logos on their television screens, from postage stamps to champagne labels, Mathieu's designs were an integral part of daily French life during his most productive decades.
The exhibition runs through September 7th at the Monnaie de Paris in the 6th arrondissement, providing art lovers and cultural enthusiasts with a unique opportunity to rediscover an artist whose work shaped the visual landscape of modern France. This collaboration between the Paris Mint and the Centre Pompidou represents a significant effort to restore recognition to Georges Mathieu (1921-2012), whose creative legacy deserves renewed appreciation and study.
For those interested in understanding the intersection of fine art and popular culture in 20th-century France, this exhibition offers an invaluable glimpse into the work of an artist who successfully bridged the gap between high art and everyday visual experience. The comprehensive nature of the display ensures that visitors will gain a complete understanding of Mathieu's contributions to French artistic and cultural life.
