Lot No. 516


Fernand Léger *


(Argentan 1881 – 1955 Gif-sur-Yvette)
Départ, for Les Illuminations de Rimbaud, signed with monogram and dated F. L. 49, inscribed with : gouache originale de Fernand Léger pour Les Illuminations de Rimbaud remise par l’artiste au soussigné en 1949 Louis Grosclaude and with the stamp of Louis Grosclaude, éditeur / 6, rue Ch. Monnard, Lausanne, on the reverse, gouache and ink on paper, 30 x 20 cm, framed

Provenance:
Galerie Klewan, Vienna
Private Collection, Austria

Exhibited:
Vienna, Galerie Klewan, 1972

Published in:
Lawrence Saphire, Fernand Léger: The complete grafic work, Blue Moon Press, New York 1978, p. 262

The most important literary project offered to Léger was a book to be illustrated by original lithographs, proposed by the Swiss editor Louis Grosclaude. Grosclaude had been eager to collaborate with a major French artist, and in 1947 he fixed upon Léger after it turned out that Léger’s peers such as Braque and Picasso were unavailable. That Léger was available confirms the notion that he was not high upon the list of major illustrated book editors, even though Tériade asked him then to do what turned out to be his monumental graphic work: Cirque.

Grosclaude’s request was fortunate, however, because Léger was given a list of possible books to illustrate. It was Rimbaud’s Les Illuminations he chose. It was not very likely that a French editor would have asked Léger to illustrate Rimbaud, for at first glance the earthy Norman painter of modern elements would hardly seem to be appropriately matched to the delicate and sensitive personality of Rimbaud. Yet that would be a hasty reaction, because Léger had always possessed a sympathy quite akin to Rimbaud’s, a sensitivity to nature and people which his noted mechanical paintings had overshadowed.

That Léger threw himself into this project with comprehension and passion is indicated by his concern for Rimbaud’s literal words.
Lawrence Saphire, Fernand Léger: The complete graphic work, Blue Moon Press, New York 1978.

Léger accepted to illustrate the text by Rimbaud Les Illuminations for a bibliophile edition of 400 copies + 10 for the collaborators. The first 25 copies + the first 5 for the collaborators were accompanied by one original drawing signed by Fernand Léger.
The present work is one of these 30 original drawings.

23.11.2016 - 17:00

Estimate:
EUR 50,000.- to EUR 70,000.-

Fernand Léger *


(Argentan 1881 – 1955 Gif-sur-Yvette)
Départ, for Les Illuminations de Rimbaud, signed with monogram and dated F. L. 49, inscribed with : gouache originale de Fernand Léger pour Les Illuminations de Rimbaud remise par l’artiste au soussigné en 1949 Louis Grosclaude and with the stamp of Louis Grosclaude, éditeur / 6, rue Ch. Monnard, Lausanne, on the reverse, gouache and ink on paper, 30 x 20 cm, framed

Provenance:
Galerie Klewan, Vienna
Private Collection, Austria

Exhibited:
Vienna, Galerie Klewan, 1972

Published in:
Lawrence Saphire, Fernand Léger: The complete grafic work, Blue Moon Press, New York 1978, p. 262

The most important literary project offered to Léger was a book to be illustrated by original lithographs, proposed by the Swiss editor Louis Grosclaude. Grosclaude had been eager to collaborate with a major French artist, and in 1947 he fixed upon Léger after it turned out that Léger’s peers such as Braque and Picasso were unavailable. That Léger was available confirms the notion that he was not high upon the list of major illustrated book editors, even though Tériade asked him then to do what turned out to be his monumental graphic work: Cirque.

Grosclaude’s request was fortunate, however, because Léger was given a list of possible books to illustrate. It was Rimbaud’s Les Illuminations he chose. It was not very likely that a French editor would have asked Léger to illustrate Rimbaud, for at first glance the earthy Norman painter of modern elements would hardly seem to be appropriately matched to the delicate and sensitive personality of Rimbaud. Yet that would be a hasty reaction, because Léger had always possessed a sympathy quite akin to Rimbaud’s, a sensitivity to nature and people which his noted mechanical paintings had overshadowed.

That Léger threw himself into this project with comprehension and passion is indicated by his concern for Rimbaud’s literal words.
Lawrence Saphire, Fernand Léger: The complete graphic work, Blue Moon Press, New York 1978.

Léger accepted to illustrate the text by Rimbaud Les Illuminations for a bibliophile edition of 400 copies + 10 for the collaborators. The first 25 copies + the first 5 for the collaborators were accompanied by one original drawing signed by Fernand Léger.
The present work is one of these 30 original drawings.


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Auction: Modern Art
Auction type: Saleroom auction
Date: 23.11.2016 - 17:00
Location: Vienna | Palais Dorotheum
Exhibition: 12.11. - 23.11.2016