Braque, Les champs, Varengeville (after)

1968

This exquisite lithograph by Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled L’Eau (Water), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. I, No. 1, originates from the 1937 issue published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1937. This vibrant composition embodies Leger’s fascination with the elemental forces of nature reinterpreted through the lens of modernity. L’Eau reflects his ongoing exploration of the harmony between mechanical precision and organic movement, transforming the natural motif of flowing water into an abstract symphony of curves, color, and rhythm. Through its interplay of form and line, the work reveals Leger’s mastery of balance and visual dynamism—an artistic celebration of motion and modern life. Executed as a lithograph on velin du Marais paper, this work measures 14 x 10.5 inches (35.56 x 26.67 cm). Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued. The edition reflects the superior craftsmanship of the Mourlot Freres atelier, celebrated for its collaborations with the leading modern artists of the 20th century. Artwork Details: Artist: Fernand Leger (1881–1955) Title: L’Eau (Water), from Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. I, No. 1, 1937 Medium: Lithograph on velin du Marais paper Dimensions: 14 x 10.5 inches (35.56 x 26.67 cm) Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered as issued Date: 1937 Publisher: Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, under the direction of Teriade, Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire, Vol. I, No. 1, published by Editions de la revue Verve, Paris, 1937 About the Publication: Verve, Revue Artistique et Litteraire was one of the most influential art periodicals of the 20th century, founded in Paris in 1937 by the visionary Greek-born publisher Teriade (Stratis Eleftheriades). Designed as a meeting point of art, poetry, and philosophy, Verve united the era’s greatest modern artists—including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, and Fernand Leger—with leading intellectuals such as Paul Eluard and Albert Camus. Printed by the master lithographers Mourlot Freres, each issue was a masterpiece of craftsmanship, presenting original lithographs alongside literary works in a richly designed format. The inaugural issue, Vol. I, No. 1, published in 1937, marked a defining moment in the history of modern art publishing—introducing the vision of Verve as a beacon of artistic collaboration and aesthetic excellence that would shape the visual culture of the 20th century. About the Artist: Fernand Leger (1881–1955) was a visionary French painter, sculptor, designer, and filmmaker whose groundbreaking fusion of modern industry, vivid color, and geometric form transformed the course of 20th-century art. Born in Argentan, Normandy, Leger began as an architectural draftsman before studying at the Academie Julian and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he absorbed the lessons of Paul Cezanne’s structural rigor and the revolutionary ideas of Cubism. Alongside Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, he became one of the leading innovators of the avant-garde, yet his work stood apart through its embrace of mechanical rhythm, bold contrasts, and industrial modernity—earning him the title “the painter of the machine age.” His art celebrated the beauty of technology, urban life, and the human form rendered in dynamic, interlocking cylinders and planes, evoking the pulse of the modern world. Immersed in the vibrant Parisian art scene, Leger worked in dialogue with peers and contemporaries such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, all of whom shared his commitment to innovation and the reimagining of artistic expression. Beyond painting, Leger’s creative reach extended into film, design, and monumental public art—his 1924 collaboration on Ballet Mecanique with Dudley Murphy and Man Ray remains a landmark of avant-garde cinema. His later works evolved toward greater clarity and monumentality, celebrating the unity of form, color, and humanity through large-scale murals and mosaics that bridged fine art and architecture. Leger’s synthesis of Cubism, Futurism, and abstraction paved the way for movements such as Pop Art and influenced generations of artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Indiana, and Alexander Calder, who admired his fusion of structure, energy, and optimism. Today, his works are prized by major museums and collectors worldwide for their bold visual power and enduring modernity. His highest auction record was achieved by La femme en rouge et vert (1914), which sold for $39,241,000 at Sotheby’s, New York, on May 7, 2008. Fernand Leger L’Eau, Leger Verve, Leger Mourlot...

This exquisite lithograph by Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled La Charrue (The Plow), originates from the 1960 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 119, Poetes, peintres, sculpteurs (Poets...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir by Sonia Delaunay (1885–1979), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, No. 7 (double), Juin 1956, originates fr...

This exquisite lithograph by Sonia Delaunay (1885–1979), titled Rythmes couleur (Color Rhythms), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, XXXIe Annee No. 32, Juin 1969, originates ...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Le canard (The Duck), from the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary), originates from the 1...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Etude pour un oiseau (Study for a Bird), from the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary), or...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Forme (Form), from the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary), originates from the 1959 edit...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Oiseau au couchant (Bird at Sunset), from the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary), originates from the 1959 edition published by XXe siecle, Paris, in collaboration with Fernand Hazan, Paris; rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris; and printed by Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, 1959. Oiseau au couchant (Bird at Sunset) reflects Braque’s meditative engagement with the motif of the bird—an enduring symbol of transcendence, freedom, and poetic solitude in his mature work. Through simplified form and muted harmony, the composition evokes the quiet passage of twilight, translating nature’s fleeting beauty into a timeless visual poem. Braque’s masterful integration of geometric abstraction with lyrical rhythm captures the balance between motion and stillness, light and silence. Executed as a lithograph and pochoir on velin d’Arches paper, this work measures 7.25 x 9.375 inches. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the technical excellence of Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, produced in close collaboration with XXe siecle and Fernand Hazan, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: After Georges Braque (1882–1963) Title: Oiseau au couchant (Bird at Sunset), from the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary), 1959 Medium: Lithograph and pochoir on velin d’Arches paper Dimensions: 7.25 x 9.375 inches (18.42 x 23.81 cm) Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1959 Publisher: XXe siecle, Paris, in collaboration with Fernand Hazan, Paris Printer: Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the album Georges Braque, Le Solitaire, published by XXe siecle, Paris, in collaboration with Fernand Hazan, Paris; rendered by Daniel Jacomet, Paris; and printed by Daniel Jacomet et Cie, Paris, 1959 Notes: Excerpted from the album (translated from French): XXX examples of this work were printed on Arches paper, containing an original engraving by Georges Braque, numbered from I to XXX. CM examples, constituting the original edition, including CCC for F. Hazan, publisher in Paris, CCC for A. Zwemmer, publisher in London, and CCC for the New York Graphic Society, LX examples, marked H.C., are reserved for the Author and the Publisher. About the Publication: Georges Braque, Le Solitaire (The Solitary) was published in Paris in 1959 by XXe siecle in collaboration with Fernand Hazan and printed by the Atelier Daniel Jacomet et Cie. Conceived as both a visual and literary homage to one of the founding figures of Cubism, the volume represents one of the most refined art book productions of the postwar era. The publication was issued in conjunction with the journal XXe siecle, under the direction of G. di San Lazzaro, a central figure in promoting modern art through his collaborations with artists such as Picasso, Miro, Chagall, and Calder. Le Solitaire brought together Braque’s mature reflections on nature, still life, and metaphysical quietude, accompanied by critical essays and reproductions of his work. The pochoir and lithographic plates—executed by Daniel Jacomet, whose atelier was renowned for its exceptional color pochoirs—capture the texture and tonal depth of Braque’s original paintings with rare precision. 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 Oiseau...

This exquisite lithograph after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Paysage a l’Estaque (Landscape at L’Estaque), originates from the 1964 folio Derriere le Miroir, Nos. 144–145–146, ...

This exquisite lithograph after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Le Char (The Chariot), originates from the 1964 folio Derriere le Miroir, Nos. 144–145–146, L’Hommage a Georges Bra...