The Hamptons - Abstract Prints

This exquisite lithograph after Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), titled Runde Linie (Round Line), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 101–103, originates from the 1957 edition publi...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Les Constructeurs (The Builders), from the folio Contrastes, 13 Aquarelles, Gouache, Lavis, Crayon (Cont...

This exquisite lithograph by Willem de Kooning (1904–1997), titled Untitled, from the folio Poems, originates from the 1988 edition published by The Limited Editions Club, New York, ...

This exquisite lithograph by Alexander Calder (1898–1976), titled Composition aux Spirales (Composition with Spirals), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 173, originates from the 1968 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1968. Composition aux Spirales exemplifies Calder’s mastery of rhythm and form, translating his sculptural language of balance and motion into vivid, dynamic compositions on paper that capture his signature sense of energy and harmony. Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 15 x 22 inches, with centerfold, as issued. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris. Artwork Details: Artist: Alexander Calder (1898–1976) Title: Composition aux Spirales (Composition with Spirals), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 173 Medium: Lithograph on velin paper Dimensions: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.88 cm), with centerfold, as issued Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued Date: 1968 Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium Provenance: From the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 173, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1968 Notes: Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), The illustrations in this issue are original lithographs by Alexander Calder drawn in the workshops of the Arte printing shop. This issue of "Behind the Mirror" has a luxury edition drawn on velin de Lana and limited to CL examples numbered and signed by the artist on the colophon. The text of G. Carandente was translated from Italian by Alain Veinstein. About the Publication: Derriere le miroir (Behind the Mirror) was one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, created and published by Maeght Editeur in Paris from 1946 to 1982. Founded by the visionary art dealer and publisher Aime Maeght, the series served as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in its own right, uniting original lithographs by leading modern and contemporary artists with critical essays, poetry, and design of the highest quality. Printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and Arte, Derriere le miroir became synonymous with the artistic vanguard of postwar Europe. Each issue was devoted to a single artist or theme and published to accompany exhibitions at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, and Alberto Giacometti, among others. The publication reflected Maeght’s belief that art should be both accessible and elevated—an ideal realized through its luxurious production values, meticulous printing, and collaboration with the greatest creative minds of its time. About the Artist: Alexander Calder (1898–1976) was an American sculptor, painter, and printmaker whose pioneering innovations in kinetic art revolutionized 20th-century sculpture and transformed modern visual language. Born in Lawnton, Pennsylvania, into a family of artists, Calder initially trained as a mechanical engineer at the Stevens Institute of Technology before turning to art at the Art Students League in New York—a combination of technical precision and creative imagination that defined his career. Moving to Paris in 1926, he immersed himself in the avant-garde and formed friendships with Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, whose ideas profoundly shaped his artistic philosophy. From Picasso, he absorbed structural invention; from Miro, lyrical abstraction; from Kandinsky, spiritual geometry; and from Duchamp and Man Ray, the courage to merge intellect and play. In Paris, Calder created his famous Cirque Calder, a miniature mechanical circus that introduced motion and performance as central components of sculpture, and by the early 1930s, he invented the mobile—a term coined by Duchamp—to describe his delicately balanced, moving sculptures that responded to air currents. Later, Jean Arp would name his stationary counterparts stabiles. These two inventions—sculptures that could either float and spin gracefully or stand monumentally still—transformed art into a dynamic dialogue between movement, balance, and space. Calder’s signature forms, painted in vivid reds, blacks, blues, and yellows, embodied both joy and precision, creating an art that was at once abstract, organic, and deeply human. Like Kandinsky and Miro, he viewed art as a form of rhythm and emotion; like Duchamp, he embraced innovation and humor; and like Giacometti and Dali, he was fascinated by perception, structure, and the unseen forces of motion. His monumental public sculptures—such as La Grande Vitesse (1969) in Grand Rapids and Flamingo (1973) in Chicago—redefined public art as a symbol of civic optimism and modern progress. A key bridge between European modernism and American abstraction, Calder’s influence extended to artists including Jean Tinguely, George Rickey, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Serra, and Olafur Eliasson, whose works in kinetic and spatial art continue to echo his vision. His gouaches, prints, and jewelry carried the same balance and movement as his sculptures, revealing a unified language of rhythm across media. Represented in every major modern museum—including MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Tate, and the Centre Pompidou—Calder remains celebrated for merging engineering, color, and poetry into an art of pure equilibrium. Standing alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, he remains one of the cornerstones of modern art—a visionary whose works breathe with motion, grace, and joy. His highest auction record was achieved by Poisson Volant (Flying Fish) (1957), which sold for $25.9 million at Christie’s, New York, on May 15, 2014, reaffirming Alexander Calder’s enduring legacy as one of the most inventive, dynamic, and collectible artists in the history of modern art. Alexander Calder Composition...

This exquisite heliogravure after Maria Helena Vieira da Silva (1908–1992), titled Les joueurs de cartes (The Card Players), from the folio Vieira da Silva, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (V...

This exquisite lithograph by Marc Chagall (1887–1985), titled Le Cheval et l’Amoureux (The Horse and the Lover), from Contes de Boccace, peintures du manuscrit des ducs de Bourgogne,...

This exquisite heliogravure after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Mademoiselle Jacqueline Matisse (Miss Jacqueline Matisse), from the album Portraits par Henri Matisse (Portraits b...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Femme et oiseau V/X (Woman and Bird V/X), from the album Miro 1959–1960 (Miro 1959–1960), originates from th...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

Lithograph on Japon à la main, attached with chine appliqué to vélin d’Arches paper. Paper Size: 21.5 x 17.875 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From th...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1964 album Recettes pour un ami, illustrations de Jean Cocteau (Recipes for a...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Serie S.A., var. 1 (Series S.A., Variation 1), from the album Henri Matisse, Dessins, Themes et Variations (Drawings...

This exquisite lithograph after Georges Braque (1882–1963), titled Marine (Seascape), originates from the 1968 folio Varengeville, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by ...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Maravillas con variaciones acrosticas en el Jardin de Miro (Marvels with Acrostic Var...

This exquisite heliogravure after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Mademoiselle M.B. (Miss M.B.), from the album Portraits par Henri Matisse (Portraits by Henri Matisse), originates...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled La femme et l'oiseau (The Woman and the Bird), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 139–140, originates from the 1963 edi...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir by Jean Bazaine (1904–2001), titled Paysage (Landscape), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie N°11 (double), Noel 1958, originates from the...

Lithograph on Guarro vélin paper. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: Published by Bijuts Shupan Sha, Tokyo; printed by La Polígrafa, Barcelona, 1...

This exquisite heliogravure after Mark Tobey (1890–1976), titled Nature morte Sumi-Calligraphique (Still Life Sumi-Calligraphic), from the folio Mark Tobey, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (M...

This exquisite lithograph by Alexander Calder (1898–1976), titled Porc qui pique (Prickly Pig), originates from the historic 1963 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 141. Published by Maeg...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Cartones (Cardboards), from the album Miro, Cartones 1959–1965 (Miro, Cardboards 1959–1965), originates from...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the 1955 album Sous le manteau de feu, Poems, douze lithographies originales de J...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir after Fernand Leger (1881–1955), titled Maquette pour la Creation du Monde (Maquette for The Creation of the World), from the folio Contrastes, ...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Lithograph X, from the album Joan Miro Lithographs, Volume I, originates from the 1972 edition published by Tudor Publishin...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Lithograph V, from the album Joan Miro Lithographs, Volume II, originates from the 1975 edition published by Leon Amiel, Ne...

Lithograph on vélin Mohawk Superfine Smooth paper. Paper Size: 11.937 x 11.937 inches, with centerfold, as issued. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the fo...

This exquisite heliogravure after Andre Lanskoy (1902–1976), titled Tourbilion noir (Black Whirlwind), from the folio Andre Lanskoy, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (Andre Lanskoy, Painters o...

This exquisite lithograph by Alfred Manessier (1911–1993), titled La tache rouge (The Red Spot), originates from the 1972 edition published by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in ...

This exquisite lithograph and pochoir by Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985), titled Barbe des Perplexites (Beard of Perplexities), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, XXIIe Annee, No. ...

Silkscreen on vélin Saunders Waterford, St Cuthberts Mill paper. Paper Size: 8 x 7.625 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From the album, Ficciones, 1984...

Lithograph on vélin de Rives paper. Inscription: hand signed and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the folio, Variations sur l'imaginaire, 1972. Published by Philipp...

This exquisite heliogravure after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Le Destin (Destiny), from Henri Matisse, Jazz, originates from the 1983 second edition published by George Brazill...

This exquisite lithograph after Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), titled Leichtes (Lightness), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 118, originates from the 1960 edition published by ...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Maravillas con variaciones acrosticas en el Jardin de Miro (Marvels with Acrostic Var...

This exquisite heliogravure after Mark Tobey (1890–1976), titled Arabesque de la nuit (Arabesque of the Night), from the folio Mark Tobey, Peintres d'aujourd'hui (Mark Tobey, Painter...

This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Les Trois Oiseaux (The Three Birds), from the album XXe Siecle, Nouvelle serie, XXIXe Annee, No. 28, originates from the 19...

Lithograph on Japon à la main, attached with chine appliqué to vélin d’Arches paper. Paper Size: 21.5 x 17.875 inches. Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Notes: From th...

Lithograph on vélin de Rives paper. Inscription: hand signed and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the folio, Variations sur l'imaginaire, 1972. Published by Philipp...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XL, Theatre de Poche (Scene XL, Pocket Theater), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Academie francai...

This exquisite lithograph by Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966), titled Annette, 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 captures Giacometti’s distinct approach to portraiture, defined by trembling lines and psychological depth that distill the essence of human presence into a study of perception and being. Annette, his wife and muse, appears as both intimate subject and universal archetype, embodying the fragility and endurance that pervade Giacometti’s entire oeuvre. 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 highlights Giacometti’s mastery of line and form within the existential context of postwar modernism. Artwork Details: Artist: Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) Title: Annette, 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, Alberto Giacometti, 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: Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a Swiss sculptor, painter, and draughtsman whose hauntingly elongated figures and existential vision redefined modern art and made him one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Born in Borgonovo, Switzerland, into an artistic family—his father, Giovanni Giacometti, was a noted Post-Impressionist—he was immersed in art from an early age before studying in Geneva and moving to Paris in 1922, where he became part of the city’s avant-garde alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray. In the 1920s and 1930s, Giacometti explored Cubism and Surrealism, creating symbolic and dreamlike sculptures such as Suspended Ball (1930–31) and The Palace at 4 A.M. (1932), which reflected the influence of Dali, Duchamp, and Man Ray. By the 1940s, he abandoned Surrealism to pursue a deeply personal exploration of the human condition, developing his iconic attenuated figures that embodied both fragility and resilience. His signature sculptures—L’Homme qui marche I (Walking Man I), Femme debout, and Le Chariot—expressed the isolation, endurance, and vulnerability of modern existence, echoing the existential philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Giacometti’s figures, stripped of mass yet monumental in spirit, symbolized humanity’s search for meaning in a postwar world, while his paintings and drawings—portraits of his brother Diego, his wife Annette, and his friends—captured the psychological depth of perception with trembling, repetitive lines that blurred the boundary between body and soul. His friendships with Picasso, Calder, Miro, and Kandinsky shaped his understanding of form, motion, and space, while his philosophical engagement with Duchamp and Man Ray deepened his inquiry into the nature of reality and perception. Working obsessively in his modest Montparnasse studio, Giacometti pursued art as an existential act—destroying and rebuilding his figures in an endless search for truth. His influence on postwar art was immense, shaping the work of Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Lucian Freud, and later contemporary sculptors such as Antony Gormley and Anselm Kiefer. His aesthetic also resonated beyond sculpture, influencing fashion, photography, and architecture through his vision of form, isolation, and proportion. Giacometti’s work is represented in major museum collections including MoMA, the Tate Modern, and the Centre Pompidou, and continues to inspire artists, collectors, and thinkers worldwide. Standing alongside Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, Giacometti remains a towering figure in modern art—a sculptor-philosopher who transformed the human form into a universal symbol of resilience and reflection. His highest auction record was achieved by L’Homme qui marche I (Walking Man I), which sold for 141.3 million USD at Sotheby’s, London, on February 3, 2010, reaffirming Alberto Giacometti’s enduring legacy as one of the most visionary, profound, and collectible artists in the history of modern art. Alberto Giacometti Annette...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXXVI, Bacchus (Scene XXXVI, Bacchus), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Academie francaise, Theatr...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXX, L'Aigle a Deux Tetes (Scene XXX, The Eagle with Two Heads), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXVIII, Renaud et Armide (Scene XXVIII, Renaud and Armide), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Acade...

This exquisite lithograph after Henri Matisse (1869–1954), titled Serie E, var. 13 (Series E, Variation 13), from the album Henri Matisse, Dessins, Themes et Variations (Drawings, Th...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXVII, Renaud et Armide (Scene XXVII, Renaud and Armide), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Academi...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXV, La Machine a Ecrire (Scene XXV, The Typewriter), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Academie fr...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXIV, La Machine a Ecrire (Scene XXIV, The Typewriter), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Academie ...

This exquisite heliogravure after Maria Helena Vieira da Silva (1908–1992), titled La bataille des couteaux (The Battle of Knives), from the folio Vieira da Silva, Peintres d'aujourd...

This exquisite lithograph by Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), titled Scene XXII, Les Monstres Sacres (Scene XXII, The Sacred Monsters), originates from the 1957 album Jean Cocteau de l'Acad...