About the artist
Paul Maze DCM MM (1887-1979) was often hailed as the last Impressionist. He was introduced to painting by friends of his family including well known artists like Renoir, Monet, Dufy, and Pissarro. Born in Le Havre in 1887 to a tea merchant, Maze developed a profound admiration for English culture during his schooling in Southampton. Upon seeing the Scots Greys in Le Havre during the onset of the war, he enlisted as their interpreter, eventually earning the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal. He never ceased sketching throughout the war, always having his sketching tools near his bayonet.
He met Winston Churchill during this period, and their shared passion for painting initiated a lifelong bond, with Maze often serving as Churchill's artistic advisor. Maze's talent for documenting life events in his unique style led to his work being likened to "pictures done in shorthand". Goodwood, Trooping the Colour, Henley Eights, and Cowes Week were all elegantly captured in Maze's art.
