GEN PAUL
OCTOBER 18 – NOVEMBER 3, 2013
Artrust inaugurates its activities by hosting the great French Expressionism, Gen Paul, with the exhibition “Gen Paul, retrospective of an expressionist from Montmartre”. It is dedicated to him, who was as well one of the leading precursor of the American Action Painting. This retrospective will be the opening of other series of art exhibitions organized by the company, which was established out of the experience of Arvi, a company that supplementary to its activities has, for over fifteen years, been collecting art and antiques.
THE ARTIST
GEN PAUL (1895 – 1975)
Painter, draughtsman, engraver and lithographer, he was a genuine protagonist of the Montmartre’s artistic life in the early 20th century. He had started his artistic career painting floral scenes, portraits and the “Moulin de la Galette”. From 1920 on, he set out his artistic evolution: better constructed urban landscapes, realization of clown portraits as his initial portrait subjects, as well as of Montfort-Amaury as his initial depictions. The following year, Gen Paul became acquainted with many musicians. From 1924 on, he created a personal style of Expressionism, inspired by El Greco, Velazquez and Goya. He traveled and worked incessantly until September 1930. In 1928, the Bing gallery exhibited some of his works alongside those of Picasso, Rouault, Braque, and Soutine. Between 1930 and 1945, began the third stage of his career, which could be defined “celinian” for his close friendship with Céline. Led by Céline, Marcel Aymé and himself, his circle of intimates comprised classical and jazz musicians, doctors, writers, actors from the Comédie Française and various colorful personalities who used to gather in his atelier. During the late stage of his career, Gen Paul returned to the world of horseracing, which this could be perceived from the motif presented in his oil paintings and gouaches. After his death, several exhibitions were dedicated to him and his career path. The largest one was held at the Couvent des Cordeliers in 1995 for his centennial anniversary. The Gazette of the Hôtel Drouot wrote at the time, “Gen Paul is undoubtedly the best expressionist artist, and perhaps the only one, in the French tradition”.
The exhibition
The Vernissage
RELATED ARTWORKS
PRODUCTS
BLOG
WORKSHOPS
The inaugural workshop dedicated to the art of Gen Paul, recorded several classes of elementary schools in Ticino, with more than 100 students involved.