Paul Mathey, Paysage, Oil on Wood, 1960s, Framed

Paul Albert Mathey is the son of Charles and Elisa Beaujon. Orphaned at 14, he was taken in by an uncle and spent his childhood in New York. In 1931, he married Claire-Lise Monnier, a painter like him. They have exhibited together several times. Between 1905 and 1910, he took evening classes at the Art Student's League in New York. From 1910 to 1916, he attended the School of Fine Arts in Geneva and was a pupil of Barthélemy Menn. During this period, he received several awards and mentions. In 1916-1917, he worked with Ferdinand Hodler. In 1918, he became a member of the Society of Swiss Painters, Sculptors and Architects (he participated in all of its exhibitions until 1967) and of the Gottfried Keller Foundation (1954-1961). He mainly painted landscapes and still lifes. He also made some theater sets in Geneva. In 1967, he became a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. A large part of his works can be found at the Monnier Foundation in Cartigny.


This painterly work depicts a landscape scene in a manner that evokes the Impressionist movements, characterized by loose, vigorous brushstrokes. The canvas features a natural setting where a humble building, perhaps a house or cabin, blends harmoniously into the earthy shades around it. The trees, entangled in an intricate network of branches, add dynamic texture to the foreground, creating a sense of movement and life. The sky is filled with subtle shades of blue and gray, capturing the soft light of a cloudy day, which accentuates the serene and contemplative atmosphere of the scene. The color palette is dominated by restrained hues of greens, browns and blues, enhanced by bursts of light that appear behind the dark mass of the trees, suggesting a distant light source. Mastering the play between light and shadow demonstrates a deep understanding of the ephemeral qualities of changing nature. The natural elements seem to dissolve into each other, the painter succeeding in capturing the essence of a fleeting moment in time. This painting incites the viewer to total immersion, exploring the relationships between nature and architecture in silent communion. Its beauty lies in the subtlety of the details and the bold execution of the flat areas of color, inviting reflection on the passage of time and the quiet beauty of the natural world.