Beurdinu 1961

Maurice Esteve made this painting, called Beurdinu, by layering shapes in bright colours. It’s interesting to think about how this painting came to be. I imagine Esteve, in his studio, shifting the shapes around, maybe starting with an idea but then letting the painting take over. The colours are so cheerful, aren’t they? Like a summer afternoon. I’m drawn to the way the colours bump up against each other – the bold blues with the warm reds and yellows. Look at how the white kind of peeks through in places, like gaps, or maybe a light shining through. It’s not about perfection; it's more about feeling. I can see hints of Matisse and the Fauves in his work. It is like they’re all in conversation together, each artist responding to the others, adding their own spin. It's a kind of family. Painting is like that, an ongoing exchange, where new ideas emerge from old ones, and each artist leaves their mark.