Documentaries
Preserving Leo Marchutz’s artistic legacy for future generations is central to our mission and the driving force behind the Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné project. Our long-term goal is to document and digitize his complete oeuvre, making it easily accessible to art lovers, students and scholars around the world.
At the same time, we are actively working to bring heightened awareness to Leo Marchutz, an extraordinary artist and Cezanne scholar who has long been overlooked. To share his story and highlight the uniqueness of his journey, we have launched a series of three short documentary films, directed by James Ruffato, aimed at engaging a wider audience.
LEO MARCHUTZ & LITHOGRAPHy
Part I of a documentary trilogy produced by the Leo Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné.
The film Leo Marchutz and Lithography shows how this unique artist mastered the intricate technique of lithography and created, in the process, some of the finest examples of his art. At the same time, it relates Marchutz’s inspiring story of self-discovery as an artist in the face of his great suffering and difficult survival during the Holocaust.
For almost two decades, lithography was Marchutz’s sole means of artistic expression. Over that period, he created more than 700 unique lithographic editions. All were hand pulled on his manual lithographic press at Châteaunoir and in the studio built for him on the Route du Tholonet by his benefactor, French architect Fernand Pouillon. The lithographs represent the core and largest body of his work. They also reflect his many innovations with regard to printmaking practice, which he lifted to a very high artistic level.
In the Footsteps of CEZANNE
Part II of a documentary trilogy produced by the Leo Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné.
Copyright © 2023 & 2025 Leo Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The copyright proprietors have licensed the material in this film for private use only. Any other unauthorized use of the whole or any part of the material is strictly prohibited. For all requests, please email: contact@leomarchutz.org
Leo Marchutz – In the Footsteps of Cezanne sheds light on the extensive research carried out by Marchutz on the work of the Aix-born painter. Concurrently with his own artistic practice, Marchutz devoted decades to the study of Cezanne’s oeuvre, ultimately becoming one of his foremost authorities. For over forty years, he collaborated with leading 20th-century art historians such as Lionello Venturi, Fritz Novotny, and John Rewald, offering his insight as a painter and unique perspective on Cezanne.
Although little known to the public, Marchutz’s role was crucial in uncovering and promoting Cezanne’s legacy. His intimate knowledge of the Aix landscapes and close ties with top specialists were instrumental in revealing the distinctiveness of Cezanne’s art and securing its recognition both locally and internationally.
Copyright © 2023 & 2025 Leo Marchutz Catalogue Raisonné — ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The copyright proprietors have licensed the material in this film for private use only. Any other unauthorized use of the whole or any part of the material is strictly prohibited. For all requests, please email: contact@leomarchutz.org
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
James Ruffato is a Franco-American documentary filmmaker working between Aix-en-Provence and the USA. After attending the Maine Media College Young Filmmaker’s program and completing a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature and Film Studies at King’s College, London, James began working as a freelance filmmaker specializing in short format documentaries about art. Some of the institutions James has worked with include La Panacée in Montpellier, the MRAC Occitanie, l’Abbey de Fontfroide, the J1 in Marseille and La Maison de Vente Leclere. James has also produced promotional content for King’s College London and the Savannah College of Art and Design. In conjunction with his client-based work, James has recently completed his first feature length documentary on American plein air painter Jill Steenhuis, released in June, 2020.
These documentary films are also available for viewing on the Youtube channel of the Catalogue Raisonné Léo Marchutz.
EXHIBIT: THE STREETS OF AIXArchitectural Landscapes of Leo Marchutz
by James Ruffato
This short reel provides an overview of the exhibit held at the Marchutz Studio on June 26, 2022. The exhibit, dedicated to the streets of Aix and the lithographs they inspired, was organized within the framework of the Celebration of the Route Cézanne. It included a selection of 25 original lithographs, dating from 1952 to 1960, that were paired with recent photographs of their corresponding motifs.
