This exquisite lithograph by Victor Vasarely (1906–1997), titled Beryll, originates from the 1972 edition published by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, April 5, 1972. This dynamic and visually captivating composition exemplifies Vasarely’s mastery of geometric abstraction and optical vibration. Beryll embodies the artist’s revolutionary approach to perception, using precise structure and contrasting color to create rhythmic illusions of movement and spatial depth. The work reflects Vasarely’s vision of art as a synthesis of science, mathematics, and aesthetic intuition—a language of pure form and energy that engages both eye and intellect.
Executed as a lithograph on velin d’Arches paper, this work measures 12.81 x 9.81 inches (32.54 x 24.92 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the exceptional craftsmanship of the Mourlot Freres atelier, whose collaborations with the leading modern artists of the century defined the highest standards of fine art printing.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Victor Vasarely (1906–1997)
Title: Beryll, 1972
Medium: Lithograph on velin d’Arches paper
Dimensions: 12.81 x 9.81 inches (32.54 x 24.92 cm)
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1972
Publisher: Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the edition published by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York, 1972
Notes:
Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This album is the album of friendship, and I want to thank all the artists who wanted to participate. Some lithographs presented here, and whose authors have left us for too long, were made at my request for an album "Adieu a la rue de Chabrol" that I intended to publish ten years ago. So it was at this time that I was able to get the lithos of Braque, Cocteau, Derain, Giacometti and Villon. Mrs. Duthuit-Matisse and her brothers authorized me to print the composition of Henri Matisse, an unused original lithograph of the album by Teriade "La Religieuse portugaise". I am happy to have brought together so many works by contemporary artists, it is a great honor for me and I am infinitely grateful to them. Finished printing in Paris on April 5, 1972, this album was printed on velin d’Arches, in DCCC numbered examples. In addition, a number of copies were printed for artists, friends and collaborators of this album. The original lithographs were printed by Mourlot, and the typography is from Fequet and Baudier. Alain A.C. Mazo, Paris, and Leon Amiel, New York, publishers.
About the Publication:
Souvenirs et Portraits d'Artistes (Memories and Portraits of Artists), published in 1972 by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, and Leon Amiel, New York, stands as one of the great collaborative achievements of postwar modernism. Conceived as an homage to artistic friendship, the album brought together a distinguished group of contemporary artists who had worked closely with the master printer Fernand Mourlot. Beryll by Victor Vasarely exemplifies the union of technical precision and conceptual clarity that defined this publication. Through his meticulous control of geometry and chromatic modulation, Vasarely transformed the flat surface of the lithograph into a field of optical resonance—capturing the spirit of experimentation and innovation that animated the golden age of Parisian printmaking.
About the Artist:
Victor Vasarely (1906–1997) was a Hungarian-French painter, printmaker, and visionary whose groundbreaking explorations of geometry, color, and optical illusion established him as the father of Op Art and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century modernism. Born in Pecs, Hungary, he began studying medicine before turning to art, enrolling at the Bauhaus-inspired Muhely Academy in Budapest, where he absorbed the principles of constructivism, design, and the fusion of art with science. Moving to Paris in 1930, he immersed himself in the avant-garde world of Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, whose innovations in abstraction, surrealism, and spatial form deeply informed his own artistic evolution. Vasarely’s early graphic works explored the interplay of structure and perception, leading him to develop a radical visual language of dynamic geometry and chromatic vibration that redefined the relationship between viewer and artwork. His iconic series—including Zebra, Vega, Gestalt, and Planetary Folklore—use precisely calibrated grids and shifting color patterns to create a sense of kinetic energy, illusion, and spatial depth, merging scientific rigor with visual poetry. Through this synthesis of art and mathematics, Vasarely founded the Op Art movement, influencing generations of artists such as Bridget Riley, Jesus Rafael Soto, Yaacov Agam, Carlos Cruz-Diez, and Richard Anuszkiewicz, as well as countless architects and designers who incorporated his ideas into public art and modern design. A proponent of “art for all,” Vasarely sought to democratize beauty by integrating abstraction into daily life through architectural facades, tapestries, and monumental installations—culminating in the creation of the Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence in 1976, a center dedicated to the unity of art, science, and technology. His art, housed in major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, remains celebrated for its precision, intellect, and timeless vibrancy. His highest auction record was achieved by Gestalt–Vega (1969), which sold for $615,000 at Sotheby’s, New York, on May 17, 2019, confirming Victor Vasarely’s enduring legacy as one of the most visionary and influential masters of optical and geometric abstraction in modern art.
Victor Vasarely Beryll, Vasarely Mourlot Freres, Vasarely Editions A. C. Mazo, Vasarely Leon Amiel, Vasarely 1972 lithograph, Vasarely velin d’Arches, Vasarely collectible print, Vasarely Op Art lithograph.