Marcel Mouly

(French, 1918 –2008)

“I like Picasso for form and drawing and Braque for rhythm, but Matisse remains my spiritual father.”
— Marcel Mouly

Marcel Mouly’s work is light in subject, and bright and bold in hue, allowing the viewer to take a step back and enjoy the aesthetic pleasures in life. His organic, feminine shapes, scenes of harbors, and romantic still life compositions are created with elegant brushstrokes and subtle blending. His compositions are balanced and harmonious with warm and cool components juxtaposed in substantial blocks. As a student of the School of Paris, of which Picasso, Braque, Matisse, and Lipchitz were celebrated practitioners, Mouly was enmeshed in the artistic tidal wave brought on by these modern masters. Taking notes from them, Mouly puts his own twist on Fauvism and Cubism to create his own style.

Mouly was born in Paris, France, on February 6, 1918. He was interested in drawing as a child but did not intend to make it a career. He was first sent to a drawing class as a form of punishment, but instead exhibited a natural artistic talent. In 1935, after a number of odd jobs and while working for a wine merchant, Mouly began taking night classes in the arts at the Cours Montparnasse 80 until the Second World War in 1938, when he served in the military. In 1942, Mouly was mistaken for a spy, arrested by the Germans, and then spent a year in solitary confinement. It was in this experience that he had a moment of clarity and resolved that he would dedicate himself to becoming an artist.

When he was released, he set about realizing his passion and rented a studio with a fellow artist. Inspiration consumed Mouly as he walked the halls of the French Art Academies. He was overwhelmed with visions of late night critiques and the history behind the pioneers of movements. Jacques Lipchitz, the great sculptor, became his mentor teaching him especially about Cubism. By the mid 1940s, Mouly's art was gaining notoriety from collectors and his peers. In 1945, his paintings were exhibited alongside Matisse’s in the Salon d'Automne in Paris. While one may note his visible appreciation of the shapes of Picasso’s Cubism and the deep, bold colors used in Matisse’s Fauvist works, his style is uniquely and unmistakably his own. By the 1950s, Mouly was an emerging brilliant and skilled young painter. In the mid ‘50s, he began to work in lithography and soon became a master printmaker.

Mouly achieved monumental acclaim. He received two of France’s highest honors, including the Chevalier de L’Orde des Arts et Lettres in 1957 and the Premier Prix de Lithographie in 1973. Since his first exhibition in 1947, 20 museums internationally have acquired his artwork for their permanent collections. Marcel Mouly died on January 7, 2008, shortly before his 90th birthday.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original works and limited editions of Marcel Mouly. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.