Tachisme: 10 Facts About the French Abstract Movement

Tachisme, a French abstract art movement that emerged in the late 1940s, is explored through ten key facts. The movement, part of the larger art informal trend, emphasized fluid, intuitive abstraction and unconventional techniques. Artists like Hans Hartung used tree branches as brushes, while Henri Michaux employed hairdryers and painted with his left hand. The term 'Tachisme' derives from the French word 'tache' (stain or drip) and was first applied in 1951, though it had earlier roots in the 1880s for Divisionist and Pointillist artists. The movement's founding father, Wols (Alfred Otto Wolfgang Schulze), was a self-taught painter influenced by Surrealist automatic drawing. Tachisme is often compared to American Abstract Expressionism but was less aggressive and more politically engaged, with many artists supporting the 1968 protests. Georges Mathieu turned painting into public performances, dressing in medieval garments and creating large works quickly. Hans Hartung, inspired by astronomy, fought in the French Foreign Legion and later used an industrial paint gun after a stroke. Pierre Soulages worked predominantly in black, mixing his own paint with walnut oil and refusing frames. The movement declined by the late 1950s, giving way to conceptual art.