Matthew finished his public school education, and then the gymnasium and in 1937 began a four year course of studying painting at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Art under Professor Ted Pruszkowski. Soon after his graduation Mathew was taken prisoner by the Nazis and spent three and one half horrific years as a prisoner at the camps at Mauthausen, Auschwitz, and Ebensee. The accounts of Matthew’s life in the camps will be detailed in the book I am writing, “THE LIFE AND WORKS OF MATTHEW TROYAN: A TRIBUTE TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT”. Upon release from the camp at Ebensee in 1945 Matthew traveled to Dusseldorf and began a six year course of study at the Academy of Fine Art at Dusselforf under the guidance of Professors Pankok, Housier, Champion and Schreibert. A chance meeting while at the school, brought him together with Joan Miro who guided and gave advice to Matthew on his painting. Matthew received recognition from his professors at Dusseldorf as an outstanding student and was given the honor of painting a mural on the wall at The Academy of Fine Aart At Dusseldorf.
While in Germany, at the school, he began what became a lifelong love affair with Alette Bauer that was never actualized in real life.
Matthew married twice with his first wife, Sophy, dying in 1970. He is survived by his second wife, Mitzi, who is still living in Connecticut.
To backtrack, Matthew came to the United States in December 1950, after graduating from the academy at Dusseldorf. During his studies at Dusseldorf, he was involved in a number of group exhibitions at Duisburg, Frankfort, Hanover, Mulheim Ruhr, Dusseldorf, and Gmunden and Munich in Austria.
In the states he spent his early years between Connecticut and the Village in New York City. It was during these early years that he befriended and became part of the group of the “NEW YORK ARTISTS’ which included Pollack, Kline, Hoffman, and DeKooning, He spent many an hour at the “CEDAR BAR’ with them discussing art, painting, critics, and preparing to forever change the art scene in the world. However, Matthew could not tolerate the raucous bar scene and left the group to create his own life in Connecticut. In Connecticut he lived the life of a quiet, somewhat withdrawn artist producing his amazing collection of art. He had two ONE MAN EXHIBTIONS at the New Britain Museum of American Art in 1954 and again in 1965. The director of the museum, Sanford Lowe, loved Matthew’s art and felt he was a major American artist, Lowe purchased one of Matthew’s still life paintings for the Museum’s permanent collection in 1965 for $850.00. Matthew spent his entire life perfecting his art and did hundreds of private commissions to earn money.
One of his early friends, and fellow artist, Franz Kline, said that he felt that Matthew was one of the best, if not the best, colorists of art in the world.
Matthew died in 2007 at the age of 94 at his home in Connecticut with his wife Mitzi and his Children Lisa and Tom by his side.
It is now time for the world to learn and appreciate the body of work produced by Mr. Troyan and it is my pleasure and privilege to champion this cause.
Dr Robert Baker owns and operates, together with his daughter Aimee,www.circasomething.com . “http://www.circasomething.com” Circa Something! acts as agents for the sale of Fine Art by artists such as Wiggins , Davis, Henri, Whistler, Cole, Picasso, Cezanne, and Troyan, as well as South Sea and Tahitian Pearl Jewelry, Fine Estate Jewelry, Fine Art Glass, Porcelains, Orientalia, and Vintage Christmas