Jean Thomas (1923-2019)
"The lines of immensity" from December 7 to January 5, 2025

Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lyon , Jean Thomas began exhibiting his works in 1946. His first paintings, influenced by the great masters of Modernity, resonate with the colors and shapes of Fernand Léger and Henri Matisse. The influence of his contemporaries, such as Bernard Buffet, whom he deeply admired, is also felt in his early works.

The works presented in this exhibition cover the period from the 1970s to the 1990s , a time when Thomas oriented his artistic research towards landscapes . He explores light with remarkable precision and great pictorial mastery. His landscapes, often very precise, sometimes border on photographic realism , while retaining a unique artistic dimension.

A virtuoso painter, Jean Thomas was also recognized for his exceptional technical know-how, which can be appreciated in the impeccable state of preservation of his paintings, testifying to meticulous preparation and rigor in execution. He knew how to merge the art of painting and craftsmanship, obtaining works of great finesse.

Throughout his career, Jean Thomas has remained faithful to an introspective approach, listening to his emotions and inspirations . His works, varied and eclectic, reflect his desire to understand and translate what moved him, whether portraits, still lifes or Mediterranean landscapes. His paintings offer a sample of this richness, mixing memories of travels and exploration of places that have deeply marked his imagination . Although born in the Alps, Jean Thomas has a particular attraction to Provence and the landscapes of the Mediterranean: Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Sicily, Corsica, Cyprus... Regions which, through his eyes, become infinite sources of beauty and inspiration.

Jean Thomas, who died in 2019 at the age of 96, leaves behind a legacy that finds its place in the greatest museums, such as the Centre Pompidou and the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris .