JEAN MESSAGIER Mai de l'Europe (May of Europe), 1968

This expressive lithograph, titled Mai de l’Europe, was created in 1968 by Jean Messagier during one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in modern European history.

Executed in sweeping, energetic green gestures across the surface, the composition embodies the immediacy and raw intensity of the events of May 1968 in France—a moment defined by student uprisings, labor strikes, and a profound questioning of social and political structures. Messagier’s calligraphic marks, rendered with oilstick or pastel-like force, evoke both spontaneity and urgency, capturing the spirit of protest and creative liberation that characterized the era.

A leading figure in postwar French abstraction, Messagier developed a highly personal language that bridged lyrical abstraction and gestural expressionism. In this work, the dense web of looping lines suggests movement, unrest, and collective energy, while retaining a poetic fluidity that softens its political charge.

Mai de l’Europe stands as both a visual document of its time and a compelling example of the artist’s mature style—where gesture, emotion, and historical context converge. It reflects the enduring power of the pre-digital mark: immediate, physical, and deeply human.

A striking and historically resonant piece, appealing to collectors of postwar European abstraction and politically engaged art of the late 1960s.

Framing available upon request.