Sonia DelaunayPoésie de Mots. Poésie de Couleurs. No 4 - The Poetry of Words. The Poetry of Co

Stencil print with hand-painted gouache colours. 1962. Signed in pencil. Numbered from the total edition of 80. Printed and painted at the studio of MPD (one of the greatest stencil printers of the period). Issued by Galerie Denise René, Paris 1962, in the series: 'Poésie de Mots. Poésie de Couleurs'. 1962.

Bibliography: J.Castro - Sonia Delaunay La Moderne no 62-4. Castro states 'These are amongst the finest prints the artist produced'.

Superb impression with brilliant perfect colours. On cream wove Johanniot Rives paper. Exceptionally fine condition. Printed to the full sheet size, as issued. Sheet: 650 x 500mm.

The 'Poésie de Mots' series includes six stencil compositions by Sonia Delaunay inspired by great 20th century French poets. Executed by Delaunay in individually hand-painted gouache stencil they are amongst the very greatest examples of Delaunay's colour 'Simultanéisme' (simultaneous contrasts) that she created in a print medium. Because of the brush application of the thick gouache paint (rather than thin printing ink) the stroke effects of the colour are beautifully apparent - each example of the print is in that way unique.

Developed by Sonia Delaunay with her husband Robert in the 1920's the concept of 'Simultanéisme' used juxtapositions of pure colour and shape to create a visual spatial structure and movement. In the post-war years Sonia developed these ideas to a peak of creativity, especially using the control of form which print media allowed.

This composition was inspired by the poem by the surrealist poet Blaise Cendars: 'Sur la Robe elle a un Corps' - 'On the Dress is her Body'. Written in 1914 the poem celebrates a friendship - the nights spent at the 'Bal Bullier' dance hall and Sonia Delaunay's own 'Simultaneous Colour' patterns for her own clothes. The poem ends: 'Sur la hanche la signature du poète' - 'On her hip the poet's signature'.