it has often been said that france is inherently opposed to geometric art. however, the role played by cubist painters in the development of this century towards geometry and the decisive influence they exerted on the russians has been somewhat quickly forgotten. and is it not also paris where mondrian drew the most radical conclusions from cubist ideas and painted his most classical neo-plastic pictures between 1928 and 1932?

it is also true that for many years jean gorin was his only french student. incidentally, both were completely unknown to the public. those who lived in this period between the two wars know that the reason for this emptiness is to be found in the surrealist reaction and in the great advertising noise that accompanied it.

for some years now, things have evolved considerably, in france as elsewhere, the country of descartes or the encyclopedists could not remain insensitive to the universalism of geometric abstraction for long. young people practicing it are now as numerous in france as in the other european countries.

the portfolio presented here is limited to five names and thus shows those who have been on this path for a long time and who are still alive and not slowing down in their production, two outstanding women, marcelle cahn and aurélie nemours. the one is entirely devoted to solid, measured architecture; the other, light and cheerful, is no less fascinated by the essential. like gorin, who is finally enjoying the worldwide reputation he more than deserves for his work and his honesty, marcelle cahn was involved in the 1930 exhibition “cercle et carré” (circle and square).

without a doubt, thépot is the most qualified representative of the following generation. i know few examples of such a demanding attitude as his. his paintings are black diamonds that he makes vibrate under the impact of a color that is always the only one.

finally, it was requested that i add my horizontal line, my flowing trace, my signature.

michel seuphor, paris, february 1973