CHAGALL
PICASSO MATISSE
Chagall, Picasso & Matisse An exhibition of genuine fully authenticated handmade prints by three of the twentieth century’s most famous artists. The Castle Gallery in Inverness is working in collaboration with the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham to present a fascinating collection of original lithographs, etchings, screenprints and engravings by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall. These artists personally worked on the screens, stone or metal plates from which these prints were taken. They worked with the aid and expertise of high quality printmakers, such as the Mourlot Brothers in Paris, who provided technical advice and hand-printed each individual print. It has become customary to limit the number of prints made, and to sign and number them as a limited edition, making them much more valuable. Collectors will pay up to ten times as much for an identical image with a signature. The prints in this show are not individually signed and are therefore much more affordable. However they are equally well made and just as stunning, and provide the opportunity to own an original work of art by one of the great masters for between £350 and £3,500. Each of the handmade prints sourced for this show comes with a certificate of authenticity, note of provenance and catalogue raisonné references. The exhibition can be viewed on the Castle Gallery’s website: W: www.castlegallery.co.uk T: 01463 729512 E: info@castlegallery.co.uk
Matisse Untitled from PoĂŠsies, 1932, etching, 30(h) X 23.5(w) cm, (Duthuit 5/16)
CHAGALL
After studying in St Petersburg, Chagall (1887-1985) moved to Paris in 1910 where he befriended many avant-garde artists. He was a prolific artist; his work reminiscent of Jewish life, Bible stories and folklore from his early years in Russia. On his return from a trip to the Holy Land in 1931, he began a set of etchings on a biblical theme for Ambroise Vollard, but although these were printed, they had to be stored when Chagall fled the Gestapo in 1939. Later he returned to these themes and collaborated with French art critic, Tériade. In 1956 they published a suite of 18 colour lithographs for a special edition of the renowned art magazine, Verve. Chagall’s ‘La Bible’ depicts the angels, kings, patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament and the story of Moses. In addition to the edition of 6500 lithographs in Verve, Chagall also created and signed a deluxe, numbered edition of 75 of the same images. Following on from this success, a second suite of 24 lithographs was published by Verve in 1960. ‘Dessins pour La Bible’ depicted the story of Creation and the role of women, particularly Ruth, in the Old Testament.
Chagall The House in my Village From Chagall Lithographs I, 1960, lithograph, 32(h) X 24.5(w) cm, (Cramer 43)
Chagall The Stag and the Vine
From La Fontaine’s Fables, 1952, hand-tinted etching, signed in plate, 29(h) X 23.7(w) cm, (Cramer 22/62)
Chagall The Soul of Elpenor
From The Odyssey of Homer, 1975, lithograph, 44(h) X 32.5(w) cm, (Cramer 96)
Chagall The Lamentations of Ulysses
From The Odyssey of Homer, 1975, lithograph, 44(h) X 32.5(w) cm, (Cramer 96)
Chagall Candlestick
From Jerusalem Windows, 1962, lithograph, 32.5(h) X 24.5(w) cm, (Cramer 49)
Chagall The Flute Player, 1957, lithograph, 23(h) X 39(w) cm, (Cramer 34)
Chagall Solomon from La Bible, 1956, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 25)
Chagall Angel of Paradise from La Bible,
1956, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 25)
Chagall Jeremiah from La Bible,
1956, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 25)
Chagall Couple in a Tree 1963, lithograph, 32(h) X 24(w) cm, (Cramer 56)
Chagall Self Portrait from Chagall Lithographs I,
1960, lithograph, 32(h) X 24.5(w) cm, (Cramer 43)
Chagall In Front of the Picture
1963, lithograph, 32(h) X 23.5(w) cm, (Cramer 56)
Chagall Boaz Wakes Up and Sees Ruth at His Feet
from Dessins pour la Bible, 1960, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 42)
Chagall Sarah and Abimelech
from Dessins pour la Bible, 1960, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 42)
Chagall David Saved by Michal
from Dessins pour la Bible, 1960, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 42)
Chagall Ruth at the Feet of Boaz
from Dessins pour la Bible, 1960, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 26(w) cm, (Cramer 42)
PICASSO
Picasso (1881-1973) was remarkably precocious, mastering academic draughtsmanship when still a child. By the 1920’s he had established himself as a world famous painter and his reputation continues to grow. It is our good fortune that Picasso had such a love or printmaking. By the time he died in 1973 he had produced a substantial body of original etchings, lithographs, engraving, screenprints and linocuts, which rank with the greatest prints of the 20th century. While the ownership of an original painting is, for the majority of us, out of the question, his original prints made in small editions, remain relatively accessible. The handmade, original prints in this show at the Castle Gallery range from £475 to £3,500. In 1942 Picasso worked on a series of etchings with aquatint and drypoint to illustrate Buffon’s ‘Histoire Naturelle’ and his images of the sparrow hawk, bull, wolf and dog are available from this rare collection. The untitled woman’s face from ‘Carmen’, 1949, is a rare engraving from an edition of 320 whilst ‘8:10:64 IV’ from ‘Le Goût du Bonheur’,1970, is a screenprint from an edition of only 33. The prints by Picasso in this exhibition demonstrate his remarkable ability to work in almost any print media.
Picasso A Woman Looking at Herself in a Mirror, From Luis de G贸ngora y Argote, 1948, lift ground etching, 33.5(h) X 20(w) cm, (Cramer 51/16)
Picasso Faune Flutiste et Baccantes From La C茅lestine, 1968, etching and aquatint, 8.9(h) X 12.4(w) cm, (Cramer 149/53)
Picasso A Woman Reading
From Luis de G贸ngora y Argote, 1948, lift ground etching, 29.5(h) X 20(w) cm, (Cramer 51/12)
Picasso Le Chien
From Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle, 1942, ground aquatint, etching & drypoint, 27.5(h) X 21.5(w) cm, (Cramer 37/7)
Picasso Le Loup
From Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle, 1942, ground aquatint, etching & drypoint, 34.5(h) X 24.5(w) cm, (Cramer 37/10)
Picasso Le Taureau
From Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle, 1942, ground aquatint, etching & drypoint, 27(h) X 20(w) cm, (Cramer 37/3)
Picasso L’Épervier
From Buffon’s Histoire Naturelle, 1942, ground aquatint, etching & drypoint, 30(h) X 20.5(w) cm, (Cramer 37/15)
Picasso Untitled from Carmen, 1949, engraving with burin, 31.5(h) X 26.6(w) cm, (Cramer 52/7)
Picasso Untitled from Carmen, 1949, engraving with burin, 31.5(h) X 26.6(w) cm, (Cramer 52/16)
Picasso Cavalier et son Valet, et Jeune Fille Vêtue d’une Mante From La Célestine, 1968, etching and aquatint, 8.9(h) X 12.4(w) cm, (Cramer 149/20)
Picasso Petite Infante Accroupie et Courtisan
From La Célestine, 1968, etching with aquatint, 8.4(h) X 6(w) cm, (Cramer 149/27)
MATISSE
Matisse’s (1869-1954) distinctive style is characterised by fluid lines and brilliant colours. His subjects were primarily women, interiors and still-lifes. He created many designs for books and illustrations for works by other writers and poets. ‘Poésies’ by Stéphane Mallarmé, contained 29 etchings by Matisse and was published in 1932. Whilst ‘Florilage des Amours de Ronsard’, 1948, was a book for which Matisse created a series of lithographs to illustrate the poetry of the C.16th French poet, Ronsard. Between 1950 and 1954, the year of his death, Matisse created some highly innovative, brightly coloured gouache paper cut-outs. It was decided to reinterpret these works as lithographs and Matisse personally directed and supervised the first ‘pulls’ during 1954, in collaboration with the renowned lithographers Mourlot Frères of Paris. Founded in 1921, Mourlot worked with many of the great artists of the 20th century. About half-way through the project Matisse died but all the works were eventually published in a special issue of Verve entitled ‘Les Derniers Oeuvres de Matisse’ in 1956. The lithographs that were produced before his death, e.g. ‘L’Escargot’, ‘Souvenir d’ Océanie’ and ‘Nu Bleu XI’ bear his signature in the stone.
Matisse L’Escargot from The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, signed on the stone, 24(h) X 24(w) cm, (Duthuit 32)
Opposite: Matisse Tristesse du Roi
From The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, signed on the stone, 32(h) X 44(w) cm, (Duthuit 21)
Matisse Acanthes
From The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, 31(h) X 35(w) cm, (Duthuit 35)
Matisse Nuit de NoĂŤl
From The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, 33(h) X 14(w) cm, (Duthuit 18)
Matisse Baigneuse dans le Roseaux from The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, 35.5(h) X 44(w) cm, (Duthuit 37)
Matisse Nu Blue XI
From The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, signed on the stone, 35.5(h) X 26.5(w) cm, (Duthuit 11)
Matisse Femmes et Signes from The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, 36(h) X 53(w) cm, (Duthuit 25)
Matisse Untitled
From FlorilĂŠge des Amours Ronsard, 1948, lithograph, 22.5(h) X 23.5(w) cm, (Duthuit 25/34)
Matisse Untitled
From Florilége des Amours Ronsard, 1948, lithograph, 34(h) X 26(w) cm, (Duthuit 25/23)
Back Page: Matisse Souvenir d’Océanie From The Last Works, 1954, lithograph, signed on the stone, 24(h) X 24(w) cm, (Duthuit 33)
Chagall, Picasso & Matisse 6 - 28 May 2016
Castle Gallery, 43 Castle St, Inverness, IV2 3DU www.castlegallery.co.uk 01463 729512