artist/ Mathieu

France

Georges Mathieu (1921–2012) was a French painter known as one of the founders of Lyrical Abstraction. A self-taught artist, he gained recognition in the 1950s for his spontaneous, gestural painting style, characterized by rapid execution and dynamic brushwork. Rejecting the structured approach of geometric abstraction, Mathieu emphasized emotion, movement, and immediacy. He also became famous for his live painting performances, creating large-scale works in front of captivated audiences. His work played a key role in shaping the European abstract movement and influenced the rise of action painting.