Jean-Paul Jérôme’s aesthetic influences came from various currents and were solidified during a stay in Paris, from 1956 to 1958. At this time, he met several artists from Galerie Denise René, then considered one of the leading galleries of the European avant-garde, who soon took the young painter into their fold. These artists, in particular Richard Mortensen and Auguste Herbin, played an important role for Jérôme throughout his career.
When asked about the evolution of his career, Jérôme said that the period of retreat at his studio in Varennes (1989–93), when his paintings became more highly contrasted and colourful, was when he found his true path; this period, in all likelihood, led to the full maturation and culmination of his work. Although the paintings from this particular surge are not widely known, they demonstrate Jérôme’s mastery of technique at a time when an eminently more personal production emerged, based on skilfully structured and contrasting flat areas of colour.
Le carnaval du Sud V (1992) is a compelling example of Jérôme’s acrylic production during this period. Here, the flatness of the surface persists, whereas his relief paintings in the years that followed would provide an altogether different aesthetic experience.
