Fernand Léger

Composition, Cirque (Saphire, N° 44-106)

1950

This exquisite lithograph after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Crayon (Crayon), from the album Dessins de Henri-Matisse (Drawings by Henri Matisse), originates from the 1925 edition published by Editions des Quatre Chemins, Paris, rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris, and printed by Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, December 15, 1925. The work exemplifies Matisses mastery of pure line and the expressive economy of form that defined his graphic art of the 1920s, transforming simplicity into lyrical harmony. Executed as a lithograph on velin Lafuma Navarre paper, this work measures 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.32 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of the Daniel Jacomet et Cie workshops, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Henri Matisse (1869–1954) Title: Crayon (Crayon), from the album Dessins de Henri-Matisse (Drawings by Henri Matisse) Medium: Lithograph on velin Lafuma Navarre paper Dimensions: 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.32 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued Date: 1925 Publisher: Editions des Quatre Chemins, Paris Printer: Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris Catalogue Raisonne Reference: Duthuit, Claude. Henri Matisse: Catalogue raisonne des ouvrages illustres. Editions Claude Duthuit, Paris, 1988, illustration 3. Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Dessins de Henri-Matisse (Drawings by Henri Matisse), published by Editions des Quatre Chemins, Paris; rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris; printed by Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, December 15, 1925 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This album was printed in C examples on velin d'Arches with an original example by Henri-Matisse, numbered from I to C, and M examples on velin Lafuma. Printing was completed on December Fifteenth, One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Five by F. Dutal et Cie, in Paris; the boards having been executed by the Daniel Jacomet et Cie workshops in Paris. About the Publication: Dessins de Henri-Matisse (Drawings by Henri Matisse), published by Editions des Quatre Chemins, Paris, in 1925, is a landmark early graphic portfolio that captures the artist’s mastery of contour and proportion through a series of delicately rendered lithographs. Realized under the direction of the Daniel Jacomet et Cie workshops—renowned for their exceptional skill in fine art printmaking—the album showcases Matisse’s fascination with the purity of line and the human form. Issued in a limited printing of examples on both velin d’Arches and velin Lafuma papers, it reflects the refined aesthetics and technical excellence that characterized the interwar Parisian print ateliers. The publication represents a pivotal stage in Matisse’s evolution as a draughtsman, bridging the intimate immediacy of his drawings with the permanence of fine print. About the Artist: Henri Matisse (1869–1954) was a French painter, sculptor, draughtsman, and printmaker whose revolutionary vision redefined modern art through his daring use of color, line, and form. Celebrated as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, Matisse led the Fauvist movement and devoted his life to the pursuit of balance, beauty, and emotional expression in visual art. His early works burst with vibrant hues and liberated brushwork, while his later “cut-out” compositions achieved a poetic simplicity that transformed the relationship between color and space. Deeply influenced by the work of Paul Cezanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Georges Seurat, as well as by the rhythmic patterns of Islamic art, Byzantine mosaics, and Japanese prints, Matisse forged a new visual language that celebrated joy, movement, and serenity. He was part of an extraordinary generation of artists who shaped the evolution of modernism, maintaining lifelong dialogue and friendly rivalry with contemporaries such as Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Andre Derain, Albert Marquet, and Raoul Dufy—peers who, like him, sought to expand the expressive potential of color and composition. Matisses influence extended across generations, inspiring modern and contemporary masters including Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, each of whom drew upon his fearless experimentation and refined visual harmony. His paintings, sculptures, and works on paper are held in the most prestigious museums in the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Hermitage Museum, where his art continues to symbolize the essence of creativity and human emotion. The highest price ever paid for a Henri Matisse artwork is approximately 80.8 million USD, achieved in 2018 at Christies New York for Odalisque couchee aux magnolias (1923). Henri Matisse Crayon...

Lithograph on vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the folio, Kathe Kollwitz, Ten Lithographs. Published by Henry C. Kleemann and...