(after) Georges Braque

"Les oiseaux de nuit" lithograph

1964

Medium: lithograph (after the watercolor sketch). Printed in 1955 at the Mourlot Freres atelier, this composition is from George Braque's Intimate Sketchbooks (Carnets Intimes). Braq...

Medium: original lithograph. Printed in 1958 for the art revue XXe Siecle (issue number 11) and published in Paris by San Lazzaro. Sheet size: 12 3/8 x 9 1/2 inches (314 x 242 mm). N...

Medium: lithograph (after the painting). Printed in 1968 by L'Imprimerie Arte and published by the atelier Maeght for the Varengeville portfolio. Size: 5 3/4 x 13 3/4 inches (145 x 3...

Medium: lithograph (after the watercolor sketch). Printed in 1955 at the Mourlot Freres atelier, this composition is from George Braque's Intimate Sketchbooks (Carnets Intimes). Braq...

This exquisite lithograph after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Oiseaux de nuit (Night Birds), from the album Prints from the Mourlot Press, exhibition sponsored by the French Embassy, circulated by the Traveling Exhibition Service of the National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution 1964–1965, originates from the 1964 edition published by Fernand Mourlot, Paris, in collaboration with the Embassy of France, Washington, D.C., and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, October 27, 1964. This lithograph exemplifies Braque’s poetic exploration of form, balance, and symbolism, merging Cubist structure with lyrical abstraction. In Oiseaux de nuit, the recurring motif of the bird—one of Braque’s most personal and spiritual symbols—embodies freedom, transcendence, and harmony between nature and imagination. Executed as a lithograph on velin d'Arches paper, this work measures 10 x 7.5 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres and reflects Braque’s ability to fuse structural clarity with lyrical mystery. Artwork Details: Artist: After Georges Braque (1882–1963) Title: Oiseaux de nuit (Night Birds), from the album Prints from the Mourlot Press Medium: Lithograph on velin d'Arches paper Dimensions: 10 x 7.5 inches (25.4 x 19.05 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1964 Publisher: Fernand Mourlot, Paris, in collaboration with the Embassy of France, Washington, D.C., and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Prints from the Mourlot Press, published by Fernand Mourlot, Paris, 1964 Notes: Excerpted from the album, This exhibition is a manifestation of Franco-American friendship and we would be very happy if it is of interest to all those who visit it. I wish to thank Mrs. Annemarie Pope for proposing and organizing this exhibition of the work of the artists who have used our press. We are honored that Mr. Herve Alphand, Ambassador of France to the United States, and Mr. Edouard Morot-Sir, Cultural Counsellor at the French Embassy in New York, will sponsor this exhibition. I express to them my thanks and appreciation. As for the artists themselves, who executed the originals contained in this catalogue, I can only say simply, "Thank you." They are all friends. We would have liked to include not just the twenty-four illustrations in this small book, but many more. During the year 1963, we lost three great artists who were faithful friends of our press. Thanks to Mrs. Georges Braque, Mr. Louis Carre, and Mr. Edouard Dermit, who have been able to pay our respects to Georges Braque, Jacques Villon and Jean Cocteau. The great Henri Matisse is also with us, since Mrs. Du-thuit-Matisse and her brothers have allowed us to use an unpublished original lithograph. Thanks to them all for their generosity. —Fernand Mourlot. The lithography at Mourlot printing press by Jean Adhemar, Curator of prints at the Bibliotheque nationale. Acknowledgments, Fernand Mourlot has long been the acknowledged master printer of France in every field, from lithographs to fine books to posters. The unfailing quality of his work commands the respect of museums, collectors, and most important of all, the artists themselves. Every product of his workshop bears the mark of Mourlot's discipline and craft and can truly be called an ideal collaboration between artist and artisan. The result of years of thoughtful planning, this special exhibition presents an accurate portrait of the Mourlot Press. We are greatly indebted to Fernand Mourlot, who made the selection, supervised the production of the catalogue, and gave endless time and energy to the details of preparation. This album was finished in Paris on 27th October 1964. The original lithographs and the reproductions were printed on the presses of Mourlot. The Imprimerie Nationale, Director Andre Brignole, was responsible for the typography. The edition has been limited to MM examples on Velin d'Arches and CC on Velin de Rives, reserved for the artists, the staff and the friends of the Imprimerie Mourlot. About the Publication: Prints from the Mourlot Press, published in Paris by Fernand Mourlot in 1964 in collaboration with the Embassy of France and the Smithsonian Institution, celebrated the profound artistic partnerships that defined 20th-century printmaking. The portfolio accompanied a traveling exhibition organized by the Smithsonian’s National Collection of Fine Arts and presented at major institutions across the United States between 1964 and 1965. Containing twenty-four original lithographs by leading modern artists—including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Fritz Glarner, and Jean Cocteau—the publication chronicled the collaborative artistry of Mourlot Freres, whose Paris workshop elevated lithography to a fine art. Each plate demonstrated the mastery of color, composition, and craftsmanship that defined postwar printmaking, while the edition itself stood as a symbol of Franco-American cultural exchange. About the Artist: Georges Braque (1882–1963) was a French painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose pioneering vision transformed the course of 20th-century art. A central figure in modernism and the co-founder of Cubism alongside Pablo Picasso, Braque redefined visual perception by breaking objects into geometric forms and reassembling them from multiple perspectives, creating a new visual language that bridged the gap between abstraction and reality. His early work was influenced by the vibrant colors and expressive energy of the Fauvist painters Henri Matisse and Andre Derain, before evolving toward the more analytical and structured compositions inspired by Paul Cezanne’s theories of form and perspective. Braque’s collaboration with Picasso between 1908 and 1914 marked one of the most fertile and revolutionary periods in art history, resulting in works that challenged traditional notions of space, depth, and illusion. Throughout his career, Braque maintained a deep interest in harmony, rhythm, and balance, infusing his still lifes, landscapes, and later reliefs with poetic subtlety and intellectual rigor. He moved among a brilliant circle of contemporaries including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Juan Gris, Fernand Leger, and Amedeo Modigliani—artists united in their pursuit of new modes of artistic expression. Braque’s influence extended well beyond his own era, shaping the creative approaches of later modernists such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, all of whom drew inspiration from his structural innovations and aesthetic integrity. His works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Guggenheim, where they continue to embody the essence of modern artistic thought and visual poetry. The highest price ever paid for a Georges Braque artwork is approximately 15 million USD, achieved in 2013 at Christie’s New York for Paysage a la Ciotat (1907). Georges Braque Oiseaux...

Georges Braque - Les oiseaux de nuit Lithograph after the gouache 1964 Dimensions: 30 x 20 cm Edition of 200 (one of the 200 on Vélin de Rives) Mourlot Pre...

Oiseaux is an lithograph realized by an anonymous artist after Georges Braque in the 20th Century. Printed by Mourlot. Good conditions. The artw...

(after) Georges Braque, (1882 - 1963) Les Oiseaux Noirs (Black Birds), 1956 Lithograph Printed in Jacomet workshop On vellum 40 x 48 cm (c. 16 x 19 inc...