Joan Devotion to Printmaking
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Joan Miró Devotion to Printmaking 1 Joan Miró Devotion to Printmaking January – March 2020 2 3 INTRODUCTION Gilden’s Art Gallery are printing studios, a small delighted to announce selection of which will be our latest exhibition highlighted in this exhibition. focussing on the extensive We start primarily with printmaking career of Joan the two largest and most Miró. The exhibition offers an established printing houses opportunity to explore the of Twentieth Century France – many collaborations between Mourlot and Maeght. Further the artist and printmaking to these major and respected studios in France and Spain. houses, we have original With works from the 1950s prints from Miró’s longest to 1970s, we have a selection collaborator Robert Dutrou of original prints from across and a selection of etchings the media of etching and and lithographs from the aquatint, lithography and celebrated Spanish printing carborundum – a technique houses Sala Gaspar and that became synonymous Polígrafa. with Miró. We do hope that you enjoy Miró was a dedicated this introduction to the printmaker from early in his printing studios that Miró so artistic career and worked enjoyed working with in order with a multitude of talented to realise his artistic visions. 4 5 Mourlot The name Mourlot is by Christian Zervos in 1930. In synonymous with lithography the foreward to the catalogue and is the longest operating raisonné of Miró’s lithographs, lithographic printing house Mourlot remarks the artist in France. Originally founded had an instant love for the in 1852 it has undergone lithographic medium and numerous name changes in this intensified as the years keeping with the generations went on. It was originally of family who have expanded with his contributions to on the original business – artistic journals and books from Imprimerie Mourlot, of poetry that Miró created Mourlot Frères and Atelier his first lithographs, though Mourlot. It was under the soon he was so taken with guidance of Fernand Mourlot the technique, he produced that Miró first collaborated standalone subjects. Miró with this studio, introduced produced lithographs with the Mourlot printing studio for a period of over 50 years. Day, 1953 Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Paper 39 x 28 cm. / 15.4 x 11.1 in. Reference: Mourlot 196 6 7 Red and Blue, 1960 Preface, from: 52 Affiches, 1963 Original Hand Signed, Numbered Original Hand Signed and and Dated Lithograph in Colours Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Paper on Arches Wove Paper 65.5 x 46.4 cm. / 25.8 x 18.3 in. 64.5 x 48 cm. / 25.4 x 18.9 in. Reference: Mourlot 269 Mourlot 384 8 9 Composition V, from: Composition III, from: A few The Perseids, 1970 Flowers for Friends, 1964 Original Hand Signed and Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in Colours Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Paper on Japan Nacré Paper 66 x 51 cm. / 26 x 20.1 in. 41 x 32.5 cm. / 16.1 x 12.8 in. Reference: Mourlot 660 Reference: Mourlot 341; Cramer 92 10 11 Recto Verso The Essences of the Earth, 1968 The Essences of the Earth, 1968 This is a unique set of seven of the Bon à Tirer [Good to Print] impressions, each Seven Original Hand Signed, one signed dated and inscribed with Dated and Inscribed Lithographs in the edition details in the verso by Miró. Colours on Arches Wove Paper These are the actual final proofs that 26.5 x 25.5 cm. / 10.5 x 10 in. Miró approved before printing the rest of the edition. Reference: Mourlot 506, 509-514; Cramer 124 12 13 The Essences of the Earth, 1968 The Essences of the Earth, 1968 The Essences of the Earth, 1968 These Bon à Tirer impressions give us is considered by many to be the a rare glimpse into how lithographs most complex lithographic series are made. Equally, they show the undertaken by Miró due to the fluidity complexity of Miró’s mind in preparing in the creative process and the and realising the same composition variations published on numerous but with a differentiation of colour. paper types and subsequent hand- It embodies how our senses can be colouring. These impressions contain moulded both by the imagery and the the important agreement between choice of colours. The instruction Bon artist and printmaker as to the way in à Tirer [Good to Print] demonstrates which the edition will be published. Miró’s satisfaction with the tones, colours and form. 14 15 Composition IX, from: Composition VIII, from: The Essences The Essences of the Earth, 1968 of the Earth, 1968 Unique Original Hand Signed and Original Hand Signed and Numbered Numbered Lithograph with Hand- Lithograph with colouring on Japon Nacré Paper Hand-colouring in India Ink on Japon Nacré Paper 49.5 x 36 cm. / 19.4 x 13.9 in. 49.5 x 36 cm. / 19.4 x 13.9 in. Reference: Mourlot 514 Reference: Mourlot 513 16 17 Ubu the King Ubu Roi (Ubu the King) is a Père Ubu first appeared up the cudgels and the play play by Alfred Jarry, premiered in 1888 in a collaboration became infamous and its in 1896. It is a precursor of between Alfred Jarry and author an avant-garde hero. the Theatre of the Absurd a fellow student at the and Surrealism. It is the first Rennes Lycée, but his first Joan Miró used Ubu Roi as a of three stylised burlesques public appearance came in subject of his most famous in which Jarry satirises 1893 when Jarry published series, made of 50 1940 power, greed, and their evil some of prose works in an lithographs known as “the practices—in particular the avant-garde review, the Barcelona Series”. These propensity of the complacent Minutes de Sable Mémorial. pictures could be Ubu Roi bourgeois to abuse the His triumph, however, was but they also satirise General authority engendered by on the stage when the Franco and his generals after success. It was followed by director of the Theâtre de he had won the Spanish Civil The Massacre of the King of Poland III, from: Series for King Ubu, 1966 Ubu Cocu [Ubu Cuckolded] l’Oeuvre, Lugne-Poe staged War. He revisited this subject and Ubu Enchaîné [Ubu a production of Ubu Roi. many times in his oeuvre. Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Enchained], neither of which The audience received the Paper was performed during Jarry’s play with screams, whistles, 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. 34-year life. fist-shaking, the critics took Reference: Mourlot 406; Cramer 108 18 19 The Night, the Bear III, from: Father Ubu’s Sleep III, from: Series for King Ubu, 1966 Series for King Ubu, 1966 Original Hand Signed and Original Hand Signed and Numbered Numbered Lithograph in Colours Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Paper on Arches Wove Paper 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. Reference: Mourlot 424; Reference: Mourlot 427; Cramer 108 Cramer Books 108 20 21 The Nobles at the Trapdoor III, from: The Return Journey II, from: Series for King Ubu, 1966 Series for King Ubu, 1966 Original Hand Signed and Original Hand Numbered Lithograph Numbered Lithograph in Colours in Colours on Arches Wove Paper on Arches Wove Paper 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. Reference: Mourlot 429; Cramer 108 Reference: Mourlot 412; Cramer Books 108 22 23 Bougrelas and his Mother III, from: Composition XVI, from: Series for King Ubu, 1966 Ubu’s Childhood, 1975 Original Hand Signed and Numbered Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Lithograph in Colours on Arches Wove Paper Paper 54 x 75 cm. / 21.3 x 29.5 in. 32.4 x 50.1 cm. / 12.7 x 19.7 in. Reference: Mourlot 409; Cramer 108 Reference: Mourlot 1013; Cramer 204 24 25 Maeght In Post-War France the “Derrière le Miroir”, gallerist Aimé Maeght affectionately known as embarked on a project to DLM. Miró’s first edition was cultivate a new generation of in 1948 and the artist also art collectors. He had trained wrote essays and poetry for as a lithographer but is today subsequent series. Aimé’s more well-known through the son Adrien operated the impressive collection of the printing studio that enticed Fondation Maeght in Saint both established artists such Paul-de-Vence. The collection as Miró and the new wave is considered among the of artists flocking to Paris for finest private collections of the city’s resurgence. A main the Twentieth century art in attraction of the printing Europe. In December 1946 studio to artists such as Miró Maeght began printing and was the ability to print both publishing a new artistic lithography and intaglio journal that would include (etching and aquatint), original prints. Joan Miró was Robert Dutrou joined Maeght an early and enthusiastic following his partnership The Ustashi, 1978 contributor to this journal, with Crommelynck. which was known as Original Hand Signed and Numbered Aquatint in Colours with Carborundum on Arches Wove Paper 138 x 96.5 cm. / 54.3 x 38 in. Reference: Dupin 1000 26 27 Figure and Bird, 1948 Plate XI, from: Album 19, 1961 Original Hand Signed, Dated and Original Hand Signed and Numbered Inscribed Lithograph in Colours on Lithograph in Colours on BFK Rives BFK Rives Wove Paper Wove Paper 65.2 x 50.5 cm.