From March 13 to August 23, 2015, the Musée Regards de Provence presented the exhibition "Alfred Lombard. Color & Intimacy."
The purpose of this exhibition is to illustrate the energy of his work, its material effects, the exaltation of pure color – characteristic of the Fauvist expression unique to the artist, his mastery of composition, the simplicity of his forms, and his evolution toward a certain abstraction.
Through plays of light and acidic colors, the artist brings his landscapes to life, such as those of Eguilles, Nice, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, La Seyne, and Marseille, as well as his scenes of life, animated alleys, and the façades of a shop or bar. The presence of still lifes and nudes, some of the most important of his career, attests to his quality as a painter.
The Musée Regards de Provence honors Alfred Lombard (1884-1973), one of the most remarkable figures in the artistic scene of Provence at the beginning of the 20th century. Trained in the classical tradition, by 1907 he began to express more of his identity and uniqueness in his work. Critics have described him as the “only true Fauve from Provence.” The early 20th century marked a period of rupture with the rise of modern art. Fauvism, Expressionism, and Cubism stormed the national and regional artistic scene, profoundly influencing the artists of Marseille and Provence. Among them was Lombard, who, fascinated by Matisse and his creative frenzy, developed a violent use of color combined with broad and powerful brushwork.
This exhibition brings together works that illustrate the artist’s rich output, including easel painting, illustration, decorative mural painting, and writing. The aim is to highlight the energy of his work, its material effects, the exaltation of pure color, his mastery of composition, the simplicity of his forms, and his evolution towards a certain abstraction. The theme of women, portraits, and nudes is very present in his expressive compositions. He reveals his models in their intimacy with grace and restraint, yet without making them seem overly modest. The artist plays with light and bold colors, accentuating the face and body of his models, imbuing them with a certain monumentality tinged with elegance.
The artist enjoys bringing his landscapes and scenes of life to life, with animated alleys, shop or bar facades, using acidic colors to convey freedom, expressiveness, and a vibrancy brought forth by light.