From March 25 to September 28, 2025, the Musée Regards de Provence presents the exhibition "Laurent Mattio, Painting the Light," dedicated to this Provençal painter (1892–1965), whose radiant work showcases a rare mastery of drawing, color, and light. Through more than 150 paintings, watercolors, and drawings, the artist’s journey reveals his deep connection to the Mediterranean and his homeland, spanning Provence and distant shores.
This major retrospective in Marseille unveils the full richness of his work, offering a vibrant immersion into the world of an artist for whom light was more than a subject — it was an absolute quest.
Although sometimes compared to Monticelli, Montenard, or Sorolla y Bastida, Laurent Mattio asserts a style that is distinctly his own, where the balance between drawing and color structures each work with both strength and sensitivity.
Drawing: The Foundation of His Art
Laurent Mattio places great importance on preparatory drawing, which he executes with precision using charcoal or pencil. His sketches, often created on-site, capture the moment with striking spontaneity.
His mastery of line was first recognized in the retrospective of his drawings in Toulon in 1970, where his friends praised the finesse and expressive power of his sketches: “With very simple tools — the texture of the paper, the greasy pencil, or charcoal — he produced little masterpieces of rustic grace and infinite delicacy.” – R. Noilletas, Magie et Envoûtement du Dessin (1970).
Back in the studio, he refines his compositions and uses the grid technique to transfer his sketches onto the canvas, ensuring harmony and balance in each piece.
Light: The Essence of Color
While drawing is the structural foundation of his work, it is light that gives strength to his paintings. Unlike his contemporaries, who approached light with pale tones, Mattio seeks luminosity through contrasts and textures. In oil painting, he alternates subtle flat washes with impasto knife strokes, giving his works depth and a unique vibrancy. In watercolor, the transparency of the pigments enhances the light, imparting an airy lightness to his scenes.
This approach grants his landscapes and life scenes a striking intensity, where the light seems to emanate from the canvas itself.
An Ode to the Mediterranean – His Favorite Themes
Laurent Mattio captures the diversity and vitality of Marseille and its region, paying particular attention to the ever-changing hues of the sea and sky. Beyond the Old Port and the Calanques, he finds constant inspiration in Provence and the Var coastline. From his house overlooking the harbor in Sanary-sur-Mer, he paints the colorful boats and sunlit market scenes. In Toulon, he focuses on the coexistence of military ships and fishing boats. In the countryside, he elevates rural Provence, with olive groves, sunlit bastides, and shaded town squares.
His travels to Italy and Spain also inform his work, particularly in Venice, where he dwells on the reflections of light on water, and along the Costa Brava, where he captures the intensity of contrasts and vibrant colors.
A Painter of His Time, A Timeless Legacy
Laurent Mattio remains an unclassifiable painter, at the crossroads of classicism and modernity. His technical rigor, subtle interplay between drawing and color, and his masterful treatment of light make him an essential figure in Provençal painting.
The exhibition is curated by Pierre-François Mattio, the artist’s grandson; Lydiane Mattio and Jeanne Guyon, the artist’s great-granddaughters; and Alice Mattio, the artist’s daughter-in-law, in collaboration with Adeline Dumon, Director of the Museum, and Pierre Dumon, President of the Regards de Provence Association.
A catalog reproduces all 155 works on display, accompanied by texts and commentary by Marine Mattio, based on Alice Mattio and Odette Mattio.
The exhibition is complemented by an artistic awareness and cultural mediation program carried out by the museum’s teams. Activities combine immersive approaches to artistic creation — both playful, practical, and theoretical — as well as moments of exchange to create a more familiar and intimate relationship with the works.
As part of this exhibition, the Musée Regards de Provence offers a series of lectures and meetings, creative workshops with guided tours tailored for younger audiences and schoolchildren to raise awareness about art, experience our heritage in a different way, and yoga sessions amidst the artworks. These events, dedicated to exchange, transmission, and sharing, offer unique experiences — rich, sensitive, and friendly moments to listen to testimonies, be inspired by creation, and draw inspiration from the artworks.
Practical Information and Visits to the Musée Regards de Provence
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Exhibition Admission: Full price: €8.50. Reduced rates: €8.00 – €7.00 – €6.00 – €4.50 – €3.50.
Guided tours (individuals): Entrance fee + €7 per person (outside of groups), Tuesday and Saturday at 3:00 PM by reservation.
Guided tours (groups): Entrance fee + €7 per person, available daily by reservation.
Free guided tour for individuals (first Saturday of every month at 10:30 AM), excluding entrance fee (full price), by reservation (6 to 25 people).