Georges Braque, Composition, Hsiode, Thogonie, Derrire Le Miroir, Lithograph

Condition: Pre-Owned

Lithograph on vlin paper.

Paper Size: 15 x 11 inches.

Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued.

Condition: Very good/excellent, consistent with age.

Notes: From the folio, Derrire le miroir, Hsiode, Thogonie, Eaux-fortes de Georges Braque, N 71-72, 1954.

Published by Aim Maeght, diteur, Paris; printed by ditions Pierre Feu, Galerie Maeght, Paris, 1954.

Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This edition of the Thogonie of Hsiode is composed of capitales Europe corps XVI.

The non-text engravings were executed in 1932 by Georges Braque at the request of d'Ambroise Vollard.

The cover the frontispiece the head of the chapter and the cul-de-lamp were engraved by Georges Braque in 1953.

Each cover was varnished by the artist.

Printing was finished in Paris on the presses of Fequet et Baudier on Monday, January 10, 1955.

It was drawn on papier d'Auvergne la main, CL examples, numbered, all signed by Georges Braque.

The original size is 45 x 35 cm.

The binding for Georges Braque's "Thogonie" was made by Madame Claude Stably.

Each box consists of an original collage executed with torn and glued papers obtained by the so-called " la cuve" process.

The spontaneous graphics of these papers is due to the use and dosage of the different products that are added to the couleur huile: alcool, essence, fiel de buf, vernis, gomme adragante, etc.

The color then moves on the water, creating sporadic archipelagos of unusual beauty, caught on the fly by dipping the paper quickly into the tank.

Madame Claude Stably won the 2me prix de la Reliure Originale, 1954.

Additional notes: Excerpted from a Christies, New York lot essay, The life span of Derrire le Miroir was thirty-five years.

Publication began in 1946.

Aim Maeght, initiator of Derrire le Miroir, had already made few attempts to start publications illustrated with fine printed lithographs in colours in the years prior to the launch of Derrire le Miroir.

The name, Derrire le Miroir was suggested by Jacques Kober, manager of Galerie Maeght.

The gallery had opened in 1945; the first number of Derrire le Miroir was released a year later.

For this first issue Geer van Velde was invited to create lithographs to illustrate the publication.

The lithographs in the first issue was printed by Mourlot, Paris.

The first three issues of Derrire le Miroir were unsuccessful for Maeght as far as the edition sizethe initial print-runs were far too large.

From 30,000 for the first issue, the number was taken down to 10,000 for numbers two and three, until Derrire le Miroir number four was published in an edition of 1500.

Maeght instituted a policy whereby unsold issues were recycled and used for the fabrication of new paper for the coming editionsthis served to both conserve resources and also usually result in ultimate edition sizes far less than 1,500.

With number four, the permanent format for Derrire le Miroir was established.

Lithographs in colours were key; text was limited to comments on the featuring artist's exhibition taking place in the Galerie Maeght, and this catalogue format was defining to Derrire le Miroir.

Galerie Maeght took on the leading role in Paris and presented all main artists including Braque, Matisse, Chagall, Lger, Bonnard, Chillida and many more.

So too did Derrire le Miroir.

The idea of a magazine was meanwhile still on the mind of Aim Maeght.

He found an insert as a solution.

Two, and later four, pages of art review were inserted from 1952 onwards.

In 1968 this find had ripened to independency and the dream of Aim Maeght was now a tangible fact named l'Art vivant.

Derrire le Miroir was on it's own again.

Over 250 issues in a row.

At that point publisher Aim Maeght wished to make a mark with the publication of an hommage to all who once contributed to the magazine which came in the form of issue number 250, but was delayed by the death of Aim Maeght.

It was published after number 253 in 1982 and became a tribute to Aim and Margurite Maeght and 35 years of friendship with artists and poets. The era of Derrire le Miroir was closed with that final publication.

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