French abstract painter Jean Messagier died in Montbéliard, Eastern France, on September 10th 1999 at 79. Messagier was above all interested in nature but also in the need to stick to daily life reality. He used to paint his works with large brushstrokes mixing fluid and vaporous colours creating atmospheric effects.
Born in Paris, he completed his college studies in Montbéliard where he used to work during his career which started in 1940.
A known ecologist he fought much to preserve his native Doubs region from pollution.
He studied art in Paris and after 1945 discovered light effects during his trips to Italy and North Africa. Much influenced by Fra Angelico and Piero della Francesca, he went on to produce monumental paintings before representing his country at the 1962 Venice Biennial and exhibiting his works in New York.
Messagier introduced daily life concepts in his works after 1968 amalgamating
Natural events and anecdotes. He then went on to show more freedom in his paintings creating stories against landscape backgrounds to which he used to give some humorous titles.
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