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Georges Mathieu(1921-2012)  « Exil de Go Daigo dans l’ile d’Oki  » (1957) painted in Tokyo before the founder of Ikebana school was sold at Bonham’s Paris for EUR 1.182M . 

It was exposed by the Gutai Art Association in Tokyoand acquired by the leader of the Gutai movement ( Japanese avant-garde  formed in 1954)   . It never left Japan and was considered as a key artwork building bridges between Japanese and Occidental « avant-gardes  » artists.

Its size, technique, quality and provenance justify its pricing .

 

Georges Mathieu is the founder of lyric abstraction,  a pioneer of Action painting, he combined  » tubism », » tachism » and  « dripping » while mastering calligraphy, he painted in the street surely inspiring street art .  His « muscled »  technique is caracterised by energy, speed and  improvisation. 

 

Lyric abstraction in Europe was echoed by abstract expressionism in the US and Georges Mathieu strongly advocated american  abstraction organising in Paris exhibitions gathering US artists the like of  :  de Kooning, Hartung, Gorky, Picabia, Pollock and  Rothko at the galerie Montparnasse.  

 

Georges Mathieu acted as a  bridge builder from Japan to Europe and from Europe to US, he played a key role in evolving painting avant-gardist approach.

We owe him a lot !