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Maruani Mercier Surveys Four Decades of Jonathan Lasker's Oil Maquettes, 1986–2026

exhibition · 2026-09-10

"Jonathan Lasker: A Survey of the Maquettes 1986-2026," an exhibition at Maruani Mercier, showcases oil-on-paper pieces that reflect nearly four decades of Lasker's artistic journey. His initial fully developed maquettes originated in 1986, playing a crucial role in his creative process ever since. These meticulously crafted small-scale studies not only serve as foundations for his significant large-scale paintings but also exist as a distinct collection. The gallery notes that they reveal the interplay of planning and spontaneity in Lasker's work. The shift to oil studies in the mid-1980s marked a pivotal moment in his conceptual approach to painting, transitioning from simple pencil sketches to comprehensive oil studies that would later be enlarged for canvas. The exhibition is currently on display at Maruani Mercier.

Key facts

  • Maruani Mercier presents "Jonathan Lasker: A Survey of the Maquettes 1986-2026."
  • The exhibition covers nearly four decades of Lasker's practice.
  • Works on view are oil on paper, executed at small scale with painstaking precision.
  • Lasker's earliest fully rendered maquettes or studies date from 1986.
  • The studies underpin some of his key large-scale paintings while forming a standalone body of work.
  • The gallery says the studies reveal a dialectic of planning and spontaneity in Lasker's production.
  • The introduction of oil studies in the mid-1980s coincided with the consolidation of his conceptual approach to painting.
  • Lasker previously used only a preparatory pencil sketch on paper before adopting complete, detailed oil studies that were enlarged and translated onto canvas.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Maruani Mercier

Sources