Mathurin MEHEUT (Lamballe, 1882 - Paris, 1958)... Lot 215

Mathurin MEHEUT (Lamballe, 1882 - Paris, 1958) - Painter of the Navy in 1921. "TRISTAN and ISEUT" Gouache titled and numbered twice "6/41". Height: 44.5 cm. Width: 29.5 cm. Provenance: private collection, Lamballe. This preparatory work was probably produced for the Messageries Maritimes liner "Président Doumer", whose decor was based on the story of Tristan and Yseult. Our gouache brings together various elements emblematic of this founding myth of courtly love: Iseult's ship, the dragon fought by Tristan, his sword, the cup of the elixir of love. Launched in January 1933 for the Marseille-Far East service, the liner joined the Free French Naval Forces in 1940 and was torpedoed by a German submarine on October 30, 1942. While the love of our heroes lives on after death, the same cannot be said of President Doumer's décor, lost forever. In that case, it's a rare testimony.