Jean Masson
French (1900-1988)
Little is known about the life of French post-impressionist artist Jean Masson. During the 1930’s, he painted in Paris, particularly in the Montmartre region, as well as views along the Seine and the Arc de Triumph. He also traveled to the South of France and painted the harbors and fishing villages. By the 1940’s, Masson was working in Tahiti like his predecessor Gauguin. Masson captured the local people in the villages and fishermen at work.
“Winter, Montmartre” is a particularly strong example by the artist. The thickly painted oil captures the richness and character of one of the oldest sections of Paris. Montmartre’s history goes as far back as 250 AD when Saint Denis was decapitated and thus the name “Mountain of the Martyr” (Montmartre). During the late 19th and early 20th centuries many artists worked in Montmartre, including Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Toulouse Lautrec, and Modigliani.