Georges BraqueOiseaux Blancs – White Birds. 1958. Birds in Autumn. 1958.

Original

lithograph in colours. 1958. Signed in pencil. Numbered from the edition of 75.

(There were also a small number of artist’s proofs annotated as H.C. – Hors

Commerce Not for sale.) Drawn and printed at the Atelier Mourlot. Edition

issued by Galerie Maeght, 1958.

Reference: Vallier – Braque

L’Oeuvre Gravé no 119.

Beautiful

impression. On pale cream wove Arches paper. Pristine condition – never

previously mounted or framed. Full margins. Sheet: 67.5 x 48 cm. Image: 56 x 41

cm. 22 x 16 1/8 ins.

 Worked

with differing widths of brush stroke using dove grey over an early autumnal

golden brown in the sky and a golden brown outlines for the soaring birds this

composition is a truly painterly example of the freedom and creativity which

Braque introduced into his lithographs in the in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Braque

wrote about how much he enjoyed working in the medium of lithography. It

allowed him to exploit the very special qualities of the medium to enhance his

imagery. The unique inherent transparency of the inks allowed colours worked

over the top of each other to retain their individual tonality, instead of

blending as they would have done in paint. At the same time it also permitted a

freedom of handling which is wonderfully demonstrated here in the sweeping

contrasted strokes.