Whilst visiting America to organize an exhibition, Pichette was much impressed by the energy of Jazz music, which seemed to achieve that euphoric state which he had been seeking to evoke through his painting. The abstract rhythmic compositions of jazz music generated a vivacity, which Pichette sought to emulate and even surpass in his paintings, to achieve a harmonious sensational experience. Pichette was impassioned by the energy of light and colour, often referring to it as his drug: "j'aime la couleur, le soleil: c'est ma drogue".

Having initially studied in Marseilles, Pichette had begun designing sets and costumes for his brother Henri Pichette's theatre productions, at which he displayed a noticeable flair for orig...