Sonia DelaunayLille. 1965.
- Ref: 641030/19647
SOLD
Original lithograph in colours. 1965. Signed in pencil. Also inscribed by Delaunay ‘J.D.’ – indicating that this is the special proof selected for Jacques Damase (see note below). Proof before the issued edition. One of 25 recorded proofs. The Issued edition was 150.
Provenance: Collection Jacques Damase (see below).
Paris Private Collection.
Exceptionally fine impression with brilliant colours. On pale cream Arches paper. Extremely fine original condition, Sheet: 755 x 560mm. Image: 459 x 458 mm.
Note: Jacques Damase was a poet, art critic and writer. From the 1930’s onwards he was one of Sonia Delaunay’s greatest admirers and supporters, and finally her companion. He was instrumental in publicising the artistic ideas and aims of both Sonia and her husband Robert in their theories of Orphism – the optical and emotional interaction of geometric colour forms and arrangements. The provenance annotation of Jacques Damase (J.D.) on this impression is of considerable importance.
After the death of Robert Delaunay Jacques Damase continued to support Sonia, both commercially in the promotion of her art and as her partner. It was largely as a result of his help that colour lithography became a principal art medium for her from the beginning of the 1960s. She acknowledged this and selected what she considered to be special impressions from her editions to be nominated for him, as in the example here.
Delaunay referred to her compositional language as ‘Simultanéisme’ (simultaneous contrasts). It was first developed by Sonia with her husband Robert in the 1920s. This concept used juxtapositions of pure colour and shape to create visual spatial structure and movement. It was in the post-war years that Sonia developed these ideas to a peak of creativity, especially using the control of form which the print media allowed. ‘Lille’, here, is an outstanding example of the visual language of her art.
