By Joan Miró
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite lithograph by Joan Miro (1893–1983), titled Japan, from Miro escultor (Miro as Sculptor), originates from the 1974 edition published by Bijutsu Shupan Sha, Tokyo, and printed by La Poligrafa, Barcelona, 1974. The work reflects Miro’s lyrical mastery of biomorphic form, symbolic purity, and gestural spontaneity, embodying the visionary abstraction that made him a defining figure of twentieth century modernism.
Executed as a lithograph on Guarro velin paper, this work measures 7.87 x 15.47 inches (20 x 39.3 cm). Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of La Poligrafa, Barcelona.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Joan Miro (1893–1983)
Title: Japan
Medium: Lithograph on Guarro velin paper
Dimensions: 7.87 x 15.47 inches (20 x 39.3 cm)
Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued
Date: 1974
Publisher: Bijutsu Shupan Sha, Tokyo
Printer: La Poligrafa, Barcelona
Catalogue Raisonne References: Cramer, Patrick, and Joan Miro. Joan Miro, Catalogue Raisonne des Livres Illustres. P. Cramer, 1989, illustration 194
Miro, Joan, et al. Joan Miro : Lithographs. Tudor, 1972-1992, illustration 937.
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: Published by Bijutsu Shupan Sha, Tokyo; printed by La Poligrafa, Barcelona, 1974, in an edition of MD
About the Publication:
Miro escultor (Miro as Sculptor), published in 1974 by Bijutsu Shupan Sha in Tokyo, is a richly produced lithographic edition created to accompany and celebrate Joan Miro’s expanding work in sculpture during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Printed by the renowned La Poligrafa workshop in Barcelona one of the most important printers of modernist and postwar graphic art the publication formed part of a larger project intended to document and disseminate Miro’s sculptural innovations to an international audience. During this period, Miro turned increasingly toward three dimensional form, collaborating with foundries and experimental workshops to transform his biomorphic vocabulary into bronze, painted wood, ceramics, and mixed media assemblages. The publication Miro escultor functioned both as an artistic portfolio and as an interpretive document, presenting lithographic translations of sculptural ideas that were simultaneously graphic works in their own right. The edition of MD examples reflected Bijutsu Shupan Sha’s commitment to high quality multiples and the broader 1970s movement to democratize access to contemporary art through carefully produced prints. Today, the publication stands as a testament to the intersection of Miro’s painterly gesture, his graphic discipline, and his growing fascination with spatial and sculptural expression.
About the Artist:
Joan Miro (1893–1983) was a Catalan painter, sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist whose visionary imagination and lyrical abstraction made him one of the most influential and beloved artists of the 20th century. Born in Barcelona, Miro drew inspiration from Catalan folk art, Romanesque frescoes, and the luminous landscapes of Mont roig del Camp, developing a deep connection to nature that infused his work with vitality and symbolism. After formal training at the Escola dArt in Barcelona, he absorbed the lessons of Post Impressionism and Cubism before moving to Paris in the early 1920s, where he became a leading figure in the Surrealist movement. There, Miro forged a personal visual language of biomorphic shapes, floating symbols, and radiant color harmonies that reflected both spontaneity and spiritual depth. In creative dialogue with peers such as Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, he helped revolutionize modern art by dissolving the boundaries between abstraction and dream imagery. Miro’s inventive approach extended far beyond painting, embracing sculpture, ceramics, and monumental public commissions that redefined how art could interact with space and emotion. His expressive freedom and gestural abstraction profoundly influenced later artists including Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, Antoni Tapies, and Joan Mitchell, inspiring generations who sought to merge instinct, color, and imagination. Today, Miro’s work remains a cornerstone of modernism, prized by collectors and celebrated in major museums worldwide. His highest auction record was achieved by Peinture (Etoile Bleue) (1927), which sold for 23,561,250 GBP (approximately 37 million USD) at Sotheby’s, London, on June 19, 2012.
Joan Miro Japan...
Category
1970s Surrealist Art
