A sweeping retrospective titled “Georges Mathieu: Gesture, Speed, Movement” has opened at the Monnaie de Paris, running through September 7, 2025. The exhibition traces the career of French artist Georges Mathieu, who coined the term Lyrical Abstraction in 1947 and was a pioneering figure in postwar abstract painting. It features works from the 1940s to the 1990s, including the 1980 painting *Orion I*, loaned by Galerie Berès, Paris. Mathieu was also honored with a major retrospective at the Grand Palais in 1978 and received the Legion of Honour and the Order of Arts and Letters.
This retrospective matters because Mathieu’s legacy has often been overlooked despite his influence on both French and American art scenes and his associations with figures like Jean-Paul Riopelle, Wols, and Francis Picabia. Produced in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, the exhibition aims to reintroduce Mathieu’s work to a new generation and restore his place in the broader history of 20th-century abstraction, correcting a historical oversight that has marginalized his contributions.