Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908, in Blois, France, a somber village of picturesque houses on the Loire River, 32 miles from Tours. He was the youngest of 3 children and a born painter, indulging in all the childish pranks to obtain crayons and suitable materials to satisfy his strong desire to draw and paint. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the Rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the evening school in Paris. He was taught a kind of 19th-century realism, dark and painstaking. His canvases show brilliant brushwork, filled with an emotional intensity that was to typify countless canvases. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin and Christian Dior and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert and the Duchess of Windsor. At Ducharne, Lorjou met his wife Yvonne Mottet, also an artist. Mottet taught Lorjou conventional drawing and her influence on his work and life was profound. Her kind, gentle but direct force humanized and appeased his volcanic personality. In 1934, Lorjou and Mottet set up an art studio in Montmartre, Paris. This same studio was featured in the 1996 movie, Everyone Says I Love You. In 1939, Lorjou returned to Blois as German troops began invading France. During his short time as mayor, he recalled housing, treating, burying and feeding many of the town’s citizens. In 1942, he displayed works for the first time at the Salon des Indépendants. Three years later in 1945, Lorjou held his first solo exhibition in Paris at the Galerie du Bac. Less than a year later, the Galerie du Bac held an exhibition dedicated to the emerging style of Expressionist artists from different countries, featuring artists such as Soutine, Rouault, Goerg, Ensor, Beckmann and Lorjou. In 1948, Lorjou was named co-recipient of the coveted Prix de la Critique award with Bernard Buffet. That same year, Lorjou formed the artistic group L’Homme Témoin with the art critic Jean Bouret to defend figurative painting. The group originally comprised 5 members and shortly thereafter expanded to include other artists, including Bernard Buffet, Jean Couty, Minaux and Simone Dat. In 1950, Lorjou painted and exhibited a series of large-format paintings inspired by current events, namely, L'Age Atomique. Today it is owned by the French Government and held at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Over the next 10 years, Lorjou painted a series of widely acclaimed works now held by major museums worldwide. In 1963, Lorjou rented a barge named La Touraine to navigate up and down the Seine River in Paris for three days. There were several politically-charged monumental paintings on display, including La Mort de John XXIII, Grimau’s Blood and July 14th. Local authorities eventually stopped the barge. In 1965, Lorjou created woodblocks from his illustrations Le Bestiaire ou Cortège d'Orphée by Guillaume Apollinaire, which was published by Editions d’Auteuil and printed by Robert Blanchet in an edition of 230 copies. In 1968, his wife and companion of 40 years, Yvonne Mottet, passed away from leukemia. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Lorjou created iconic works and exhibited them throughout the globe. These included acclaimed exhibitions, such as “The Sharon Tate Assassination," “Bullfights” and “Lorjou in Private French Collections.” In 1985, The Palais de l'Europe organized a retrospective on Lorjou. The same year, Lorjou organized his last exhibit in Paris with a series of tarps around the theme of AIDS. On January 26, 1986, the last day of his AIDS exhibit, Lorjou died of an asthma attack. Posthumous exhibits were held in Venezuela and Japan.
Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou "les massacres de Rambouillet"
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in PARIS, FR
Original poster produced in 1957 by Lorjou on the exhibition "les massacres de Rambouillet" (the Rambouillet massacres). Exhibition - Abstract Paintings and drawings in his hut on ...
Paper, Lithograph
$2,300Sale Price|42% Off
Bernard Lorjou "Pirouette au Galop" 1978 Expressionist Woodcut, Signed, H.C. Edn
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in Miami, FL
BERNARD LORJOU – "PIROUETTE AU GALOP" ⚜ Woodcut ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Left ⚜ Numbered H.C. from the Edition of 80 ⚜ Conservation Frame ENERGY AND DRAMA FROM “LE CIRQUE” Created in 197...
Woodcut
$200Sale Price|20% Off
Bernard Lorjou Lithograph, Contemporary 20th Century, Unframed Art
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Poster for Lorjou at the Musee Galliera October 14- November 22, 1970
Lithograph
$1,500
H 19.75 in W 16.5 in
Kiki Smith Lithograph/Collage Various Flying Creatures "bee" Signed Dated
By Kiki Smith
Located in Detroit, MI
A collage lithograph from her series Various Flying Creatures by Kiki Smith titled: "bee." Smith has used one of her animal/insect iconic figures for this glassine paper and wove pap...
Paper, Lithograph
In A Gadda Da Vida
By Damien Hirst
Located in London, GB
Damien Hirst In A Gadda Da Vida, 2004 Gravure print on paper unsigned 52.0 x 52.0 cm (21.5 x 21.5 in) unknown edition size published by Other Criter...
Digital
$1,100
H 9.75 in W 7.5 in D 0.75 in
Two Columns (framed): colorful pop art abstracted Greek pillars Micheal Hurson
By Michael Hurson
Located in New York, NY
Pop art scene of abstracted Greek pillars and green leaves. Drawings in black and white, pale blue, red and grey compose this colorful print. Layers of p...
Lithograph, Screen
$2,800
H 31 in W 39 in
Selfportrait as a Flowerpot by Dieter Roth abstract lithograph
By Dieter Roth
Located in New York, NY
This proof is one of just a few printed in this color combination: the edition of 110 is printed with an orange background, while this copy is a muted yellow with the central, scribb...
Handmade Paper, Lithograph
Faces, Black and White - Figurative Portrait
By Juan Carlos Breceda
Located in Austin, TX
This black and white original lithograph by Mexican artist Juan Carlos Breceda depicts a checkerboard of abstracted woman's face from a variety of ...
Archival Paper, Lithograph
Rodeo Queen by Luis Jimenez
By Luis Alfonso Jimenez
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Rodeo Queen, 1981 Edition 36/50 Signed lower left, Inscribed: for the "Rose" 82. Provenance: Print was a gift to Rozanne Charington, companion and model for "Rodeo Queen", "Rose Tattoo" and "Jimenez at Adeliza's Candy Store". Lithograph on paper 42 ½ × 29 in. (107.3 × 73.7 cm) Luis Alfonso Jimenez Born, 1940, El Paso, Texas, died 2006, Hondo, New Mexico. Statement: Luis Jimenez, in his work, celebrates the vitality of life. . . . Jimenez es un hijo de la frontera; he knows its people and the landscape. It is the transformation of these people into art that is his most important contribution to the art of this vast region which stretches between Mexico and the United States. His subject matter utilizes the popular images of the cultura del norte, and a large part of it is depicted and transformed in the rough and tumble world of la frontera. He is also a son of el norte, and so he uses its materials and explores its emerging, popular myths. The tension and attraction of Jimnez’s work is that he always creates within the space of his two worlds, the Mexicano and the Americano. He constantly shows us the irony of the two forces which repel, while showing us glimpses of the synthesis he seeks. What a gift it has been to us for this talented artist to reflect on the soul of our region. He gives meaning to our existence and history. Rudolfo Anaya (passage chosen by the artist), A View from La Frontera, Man on Fire: Luis Jimenez, pp. 1, 3, 6Biography: Luis Jimenez was born in Texas to parents who had emigrated from Mexico to the United States; he would later dedicate his 1989 sculpture Border Crossing to his father, who had entered the country illegally. The elder Jimenez was a neon sign designer in El Paso, and Luis worked with him as a youth. His experience working in the neon shop and his fascination with U.S. car culture would both become major influences on his art career. Jimenez studied architecture at the University of Texas, Austin (UTA), and also took art courses in which he first created sculptures with wood, steel, and fiberglass, choosing the latter because of its association with U.S. popular culture. He subsequently became one of the artists who made fiberglass an acceptable medium in the 1960s. In 1964 Jimenez received his B.S. in art from UTA, and he continued his studies at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City. In 1966 he moved to New York City and worked as an assistant to sculptor Seymour Lipton. Jimenez began to exhibit his art while in New York and in 1972 moved to New Mexico to focus on creating public sculptures, even as he maintained his diverse output of drawings, prints, and lithographs. Drawing on his early experiences, Jimenez creates works that come from a border perspective, one that draws upon the hybridity bred by culture clashes. Often socially and politically informed, his works speak not only in regional terms, those germane to the southwestern United States, but to broader, more global issues as well. They exhibit a profoundly Chicano aesthetic and sensibility, one that is informed by Mexican and Mexican American traditions, North American popular culture, Chicano cultural icons, and images and themes unique to the Southwest. Death, sexuality, and the struggle of the common people are frequent themes. Inspired by authors who write in an autobiographical style, Jimenez creates works that function as personal narrative yet are also able to make statements about culture in more global terms. His use of bold colors and lines, a legacy from his fathers work as a neon sign maker, lends a dynamic sensuality to his work, one that is particularly evident in his monumental fiberglass and acrylic urethane sculptural works Many of Jimenez's works correspond to scholar Toms Ybarra-Fraustos definition of the Chicano aesthetic of rasquachismo, a lowbrow sensibility that appeals to the working class in that it applies to objects that subvert expressions of the mainstream or dominant culture. Creating art that speaks to the people, Jimenez is able to transform regional and culturally specific myths and symbols into globally recognized and relevant icons. Exhibitions: In addition to his personal work, Jimenez has been commissioned for numerous public art projects. In 1999 his sculpture Southwest Piet was designated a National Treasure by First Lady Hillary Clinton. The many exhibitions featuring his work have included Human Concern/Personal Torment (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1969). The First International Motorcycle Art Show (Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ, 1973). Three Texas Artists (Centre Cultural Americaine, USIS, Paris, 1977), Recent Trends in Collecting (Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 1982). Committed to Print (Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1989) Printmaking in Texas: The 1980s (Modern Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX. Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, 1990. The Whitney Biennial (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1991) Man On Fire: Luis Jimnez (Albuquerque Museum of Art, NM, 1994-95). 47th Annual Purchase Exhibition (American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, 1995). Traveling solo exhibition, Working Class Heroes: Images from the Popular Culture (1997-2000). Jiménez Collier Gallery has been in continuous operation for over 40 years. Originally located just off Main Street in downtown Scottsdale, Arizona, we have moved to Phoenix to accommodate and showcase our large inventory including: • Original works by Maynard Dixon, Lon Megargee, Ed Mell, Fritz Scholder, Bill Schenck, Bill Lesch, Luis Jimenez, Greg Singley, Dan Budnik, and other 20th century Western, WPA and Contemporary Southwestern artists. • The Fine Art Estate of Lon Megargee • Vintage rodeo...
Lithograph
$20,663
H 25.5 in W 20 in D 2 in
Hand of Africa - Mandela, Former South African President, Signed Artwork, Hand
By Nelson Mandela
Located in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh
Nelson Mandela, Hand of Africa, Signed Limited Edition Lithograph Many people are unaware that Nelson Mandela turned his hand to art in his 80's as a way of leaving a legacy for his ...
Lithograph
$570
H 40 in W 28 in
Mid-Century Shapes, White and Blue Abstract Shapes, Handmade Cyanotype Monotype
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This unique monotype cyanotype, rendered in rich blue tones, draws inspiration from mid-century modern shapes to explore themes of balance and duality. Abstract forms echo harmony an...
Paper, Watercolor, Lithograph, Monotype
$895
H 20.75 in W 17.5 in
Marc Chagall Lithograph, 1962, Framed, Jerusalem Windows Series Frontispiece
By Marc Chagall
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Marc Chagall Medium: Original lithograph Title: Frontispiece from the Jerusalem Windows series Year: 1962 Edition: Unnumbered Framed Size: 20...
Lithograph
$2,000
H 27.5 in W 20.5 in
The End of the Game Rare 1970s ICP print (Hand Signed, inscribed by Peter Beard)
By Peter Beard
Located in New York, NY
Peter Beard The End of the Game (Hand Signed by Peter Beard), 1977 Offset Lithograph Poster (hand signed by Peter Beard and inscribed with a heart) Han...
Lithograph, Offset
$1,350
H 14 in W 11 in D 0.1 in
"Emily I" Lithograph 14" x 11" inch Edition of 50 by Gerard Marti
By Gerard Marti
Located in Culver City, CA
"Emily I" Lithograph 14" x 11" inch Edition of 50 by Gerard Marti Lithograph on museum archival paper Not framed. Ships rolled in tube Signed and numbered by the artist. About the...
Lithograph
$3,000
H 40 in W 30 in D 0.1 in
"Pensive (Thoughtful)" Print 40 x 30 inch Ed. of 50 by Gerard Marti
By Gerard Marti
Located in Culver City, CA
"Pensive (Thoughtful)" Print 40 x 30 inch Ed. of 50 by Gerard Marti Lithograph Not framed. Ships rolled in tube Signed and numbered by the artist. “Pensive” is an elegant evening ...
Lithograph
Sold
H 14 in W 10 in D 0.088 in
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in Encino, CA
“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 73 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES Paper Dimensions:* 16.875 x 22.125 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...
Woodcut
Sold
H 14 in W 10 in D 0.088 in
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in Encino, CA
“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 70 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...
Woodcut
Sold
H 14 in W 10 in D 0.088 in
"Le Hibou" (The Owl) Limited Edition Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou
By Bernard Lorjou
Located in Encino, CA
“Le Hibou” (The Owl), a Limited Edition and Hand-Signed Woodblock by Bernard Lorjou, is a piece for the true collector. This whimsical, abstract, realist, expressionist portrait of an owl is perfect for those who have an affinity for abstracts, birds, nature, and modern art. Depending on your choice of frame, this can be the perfect fit in a myriad of room styles, from a contemporary or modern room to a cabin retreat or eclectic-styled home. Contact us today for custom framing options to best suit this artwork to the style of your residential or commercial project. In the early years, Bernard Lorjou talked mainly of Tintoretto and El Greco, and his enthusiasm for Rembrandt developed somewhat later. He professed not to like Van Gogh, but it seems evident that Van Gogh’s late Provençal landscapes must have emboldened him in his early approach to both landscape and portraiture. Lorjou was represented in numerous exhibitions through his career as an artist – in the great salons of Paris and Musee d’ Art Moderne – and alongside some of the leading artists of the 20th Century, including Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Georges Rouault, Marc Chagall, and Raphael Soyer. Artist: BERNARD LORJOU (1908-1986) Title: LE HIBOU (THE OWL) Medium & Surface: COLOR WOODBLOCK ON AUVERGNE PAPER WITH DECKLED EDGES (unframed) Signed/Numbered: HAND SIGNED & NUMBERED IN PENCIL BY ARTIST (WITH LORJOU CUSTOM WATERMARK EMBEDDED IN PAPER) Number: 70 OF 150 Year Created: 1965 Country of Creation: FRANCE Image Area Dimensions:* 10 x 14 INCHES *The border is not included in the image area dimensions. Frame Dimensions:** UNFRAMED **This work of art is being sold unframed. Mock frame images have been provided in the image bank to help you visualize the work after framing. Contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: THIS WORK HAS NEVER BEEN FRAMED, SO THERE IS NO HINGING OR OTHER REMNANTS FROM FRAMING, WHICH IS RARE TO FIND. IN 1965, LORJOU CREATED WOODBLOCKS FROM HIS ILLUSTRATIONS “LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTÈGE D'ORPHÉE” BY GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE, WHICH WAS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS D’AUTEUIL AND PRINTED BY ROBERT BLANCHET IN AN EDITION OF 230 COPIES. APOLLINAIRE WAS A HIGHLY ORIGINAL POET WHOSE VISUAL IMAGERY WITH SURREALIST JUXTAPOSITIONS INSPIRED MANY ARTISTS TO ILLUSTRATE HIS WORK. THE MOST POPULAR BEING ALCOOLS, FIRST PUBLISHED WITH A FRONTISPIECE BY PABLO PICASSO IN 1913. A NUMBER OF ARTISTS ILLUSTRATED HIS BESTIAIRE. IT IS A COLLECTION OF SHORT POEMS, EACH REPRESENTING THE QUALITIES OF A PARTICULAR ANIMAL. WHEN FIRST PUBLISHED, IN 1911, IT WAS ILLUSTRATED WITH WOODCUTS BY RAOUL DUFY. THE LORJOU WOODCUT FEATURED IN THIS LISTING IS ONE OF THOSE WORKS, “LE HIBOU.” IN THE PHOTO BANK, WE HAVE INCLUDED IMAGES OF HIS STUDIO WITH MANY OF THE WORKS FEATURED IN “LE BESTIAIRE,” WITH “LE HIBOU” (THE OWL) SHOWN LAYING ON THE FLOOR IN THE CENTER OF OTHER WORKS IN ONE OF THE IMAGES. A RARE PROOF OF THIS WORK IS IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON, BEQUEATHED BY POET AND SCHOLAR WALTER STRACHAN. IN APOLLINAIRE’S OWN WORDS, HE DESCRIBES THE OWL: “MY POOR HEART IS AN OWL WE NAIL, WE UNCLAMP, WE RECLAIM. BLOOD, ARDOR, HE IS EXHAUSTED. ALL THOSE WHO LOVE ME, I PRAISE THEM.” Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Bernard Lorjou was born on September 9, 1908 in Blois, France. He was a born painter. In 1924, he headed to Paris, where he lived in extreme poverty in a small room on the rue Raspail. Eventually, his funds ran out, so he started sleeping in the Orsay train station. Within a year, he found work with the silk house Ducharne. He used his income at Ducharne to finance his formal studies at the Evening School of the City of Paris. At Ducharne, he designed patterns for prints that became sought by fashion houses ranging from Jacques Fath, Balmain, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, and worn by many notable women of the period, including Marlene Dietrich, Dolores del Rio, Jane Aubert...
Woodcut