Abstraction

The artistic production of Paul Vanier Beaulieu stands out for its great diversity. Although he created numerous figurative works, he also frequently explored abstraction. During his travels in Europe, Beaulieu sought to further simplify his compositions. By the late 1950s, his still lifes and landscapes fluctuated between figuration and abstraction. In the following decade, this artistic pursuit led him to go beyond the boundaries of figuration, notably by eliminating perspective from his works. The 1960s were marked by geometric compositions and a simplification of the pictorial space. In an interview given on the occasion of his exhibition at the Dominion Gallery in 1962, Beaulieu described his work as "landscapes, in essence, in the vein of what could be called abstract naturalism." That same year, Beaulieu created several works on the theme of Spain. According to art historian Guy Robert, this stay in Spain allowed the artist to capture numerous visual impressions, which, upon his return to his studio in Montparnasse, influenced his production. His works from this period feature dense, rough textures and warm tones, evoking a Mediterranean atmosphere. He began by producing a series of small works, then gradually increased the size of his canvases to create larger compositions.

1. Robert, Guy & Folch-Ribas, Jacques (1962). "Expositions", Vie des arts, no 29, p.54.

2. Robert, Guy & Folch-Ribas, Jacques (1962). "Expositions", Vie des arts, no 29, p.54.

Learn More about Paul-Vanier Beaulieu >