Grégoire Mathias

French Modern Cubist Figurative Abstraction of Greece in Green Red, Blue Acrylic

Couple à Aegina (A Couple in Aegina) Acrylic on Canvas 61 x 50 cm Couple à Aegina presents two intertwined figures assembled within a structured architectural setting inspired by the Greek island of Aegina. Rather than depicting a fixed scene, the composition builds from fragments — bodies, objects, spatial planes — held together through vertical alignment and interlocking geometry, so that figure and environment become genuinely inseparable. A central elongated form anchors the work, while surrounding elements — suggestive of musical instruments, interior structures, and architectural detail — intersect and layer. The figures remain partially legible, continuously shifting between presence and abstraction as they absorb and release the forms around them. The palette is restrained and deliberate: deep blacks and muted blues form the dominant ground, punctuated by sage greens and lighter neutral passages. Small circular accents and linear elements move across the surface, creating an internal rhythm that draws the eye without dictating a fixed entry point. This is not a scene captured at a single moment. Working through what he calls a "reverse jigsaw logic" — beginning with a figurative view of reality, then fragmenting and recomposing it — Mathias brings multiple perceptions into one field: variations in viewpoint, shifts in spatial relation, different moments of observation layered together. Like his figurative works more broadly, the human presence here is never isolated; it is always integrated with place, absorbed into the architecture and light of Aegina itself. Living with the Work: Before acquiring this piece, consider: at 61 x 50 cm, this is an intimate format — best suited to a space where you will naturally spend time close to it, rather than a large wall viewed from across a room. Does the space you have in mind allow for that? Does your interior already carry deep blacks, blues or greens, or would this palette introduce a contrast you'd find interesting to live with? Are you drawn to the human figure as a subject, or does the way the figures here dissolve into their architectural surroundings — becoming part of the place rather than standing apart from it — feel like the more compelling idea? Collector's Insight Rooted in the direct lineage of Jean Metzinger — whose disciple Claude Augereau was Mathias's professor at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris — this work extends the structural logic of European Cubism into a genuinely original proposition. Where Cubism fragmented space, Diachronic Cubism fragments time itself, embedding successive moments of perception within a single composition. The result sits comfortably within the tradition of Gris and Gromaire while belonging to no one but Mathias. About the Artist Grégoire Mathias, graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, is the pioneer of Diachronic Cubism — an evolution of the cubist tradition that captures not only multiple points in space but multiple moments in time within a single work. His paintings have been exhibited in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Bordeaux, and Dublin. Since 2020, he has been the official artist of the WFUNA (World Federation of United Nations Associations), designing posters for United Nations Day in Geneva — the first French artist commissioned to do so since Picasso, Chagall, and Miró. Keywords Diachronic cubism, Greek island painting...

Mâtinée à l’atelier (Morning at the Studio) Acrylic on canvas 40 × 32 cm Mâtinée à l’atelier presents a modern cubist interior scene drawn from the artist’s studio, approached as a...

Après Midi en Grèce I (An Afternoon in Greece) Acrylic on canvas 46 x 38 cm Après-Midi en Grèce I presents a diachronic cubist interpretation of a Greek coastal afternoon, capturing...

Nu au guéridon 60 x 49 cm Acrylic on canvas Nu au Guéridon is among the most kinetic works in Mathias's practice. Where other compositions hold their fragments in measured balance, ...

This vibrant vintage oil painting on board captures the bold energy of the Cubist movement, drawing clear inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s iconic portraits of the mid-20th century. S...

A portrait of a woman in green with her arms outstretched towards the sky. In a cubist style the arms and colors create a tropical feel to this composition.

Cubist Composition by Armand Rottenberg (French 1903-2000) signed lower corner, circa 1980's oil painting on board, framed Framed 28 x 20.5 inches Stunning original Cubist painting...

Abstract Portrait French School, early 21st century signed with monogram oil on canvas, framed framed: 35 x 24.5 inches canvas: 31 x 21 inches Provenance: Private collection, France ...