VIRTUAL EXHIBITION
GRATALOUP
GRATALOUP and drawing
Born in Nantua and surrounded from childhood by towering landscapes, GRATALOUP (1935–2022) made the mountain a recurring theme in his work. His paintings capture the mystical, timeless essence of these peaks, balancing between stability and vertigo, protection and challenge, contemplation and self-transcendence.
Designed as an inner journey, this virtual exhibition presents a selection of works where the mountain becomes more than just a landscape—it transforms into a mirror of the soul, a symbol of elevation and transformation.
Through this online exhibition, step into a world where each painting invites introspection and contemplation. Let yourself be guided by the mountain’s energy—at times imposing, at times embracing—and discover how GRATALOUP, through his colors and technique, translated a profound quest for meaning, transcendence, and infinity.
Watch the trailer, a visual journey into the power and beauty of water,
seen through the lens of Yann ARTHUS-BERTRAND and the symbolist paintings of GRATALOUP
Listen to the introduction podcast – let yourself be carried away by a poetic narration that unveils the themes and inspirations of the exhibition, like the first wave pulling you into the journey
I am Water. Since the dawn of time, nothing on this planet has been foreign to me. I am everywhere. I am in everything. Without me, there is no atmosphere, only barren rocks and dust. No life. No trees or flowers. No children.
I am the essence of life, the thread that weaves every breath and animates existence. I flow through living beings, entering and leaving them, always moving. I am the fleeting, the ever-changing. Yet, I am so constant, so present, that you’ve forgotten to notice my colors.
You’ve taken me for granted, believing I was unchanging. But I am fluid, elusive. Each of my colors carries the memory of a forgotten voice. Listen, and you will hear the stories of the world. Let my tales pull you into their current: water is not merely water but a living legend, an endless journey at the heart of life.
Since I was very young, I've dreamed of the mountain. I've played in its light and hidden in its shadows. I've tasted the herbs along its paths. I've inhaled the scents of stones and rocks. I've listened to the stories the wind tells in the peaks, and I've touched the sky at the top of the world. I got a bit lost in its infinite greatness. Then one day, I took up my colors and dared to paint its splendor.
Click on the displayed works to listen to the podcasts
1980 - 1994 L'ŒIL DU PEINTRE I
Technique mixte sur toile
97 x 130 cm
Click on the photo to enlarge it
C’est une toile ancienne des années 70. Je l’ai appelée l’œil du peintre. On y voit les montagnes en arrière-fond. Leur paysage est monochrome. La petite silhouette du peintre est sur le bord du tableau, presque hors du paysage. Il est dans le noir c’est-à-dire le mystère, là où toutes les couleurs se forment. Et il est aussi hors de son œil. Son œil regarde les montagnes et des rayons rouges éclairent les ténèbres. Son œil est semblable à une bulle polychromatique qui donne des couleurs à la vie. Car en réalité tout est gris. Seule la lumière et celui qui la regarde sait de quoi sont faites les montagnes et les expériences de la vie.