This exquisite lithograph by Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002), titled Sans titre (Untitled), originates from the historic 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght). Published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, under the direction of Aime Maeght, and printed by Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, Paris, this composition embodies Chillida’s exploration of form, balance, and spatial tension. In Sans titre, the artist distills his sculptural sensibility into a two-dimensional plane, using the language of gesture and contrast to evoke mass, gravity, and void. The work exemplifies Chillida’s poetic approach to abstraction, where line and density coexist in perfect equilibrium.
Executed on velin paper, this lithograph measures 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm). As issued, it is signed in the plate and unnumbered, consistent with the authorized publication format. The edition captures Chillida’s mastery of minimal means to achieve monumental expression, extending the spatial dialogue that defines his sculpture into the medium of print.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002)
Title: Sans titre (Untitled), from Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght), 1982
Medium: Lithograph on velin paper
Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm)
Inscription: Signed in the plate and unnumbered, as issued
Date: 1982
Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris
Printer: Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris
Notes:
Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This special issue of Derriere le Miroir was designed and defined by Aime Maeght in the fall of 1980. He envisioned its publication as a celebration with which artists and writers published since 1946 were to be associated. He also chose Francois Chapon, president of the Reverdy Committee, to write the presentation. This Derriere le Miroir number 250 took the form, after its disappearance on September 5, 1981, of a tribute to Aime Maeght and his wife Marguerite Maeght who died four years earlier. 24 artists agreed to create an original graphic work for this issue which includes the general table of all issues as well as excerpts from texts by 32 writers. Finished printing on June 2, 1982 on the presses of the l'Imprimerie moderne du Lion in Paris. CL examples were printed on velin d'Arches, numbered from I to CL, and some non-commercial examples constituting the original edition.
About the Publication:
Derriere le Miroir (translated as "Behind the Mirror") was an iconic French art periodical published from 1946 to 1982 by Maeght Editeur, one of the most influential art publishers of the 20th century. Founded by Aime Maeght in Paris, the publication was conceived as a visual and literary collaboration between leading modern artists, poets, and critics. Each issue functioned as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in itself—featuring original lithographs printed directly from the artists' stones or plates, alongside essays, poems, and critical commentary. Over the course of 36 years, Derriere le Miroir produced more than 250 issues and showcased an extraordinary roster of artists including Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Pierre Bonnard, Alberto Giacometti, Eduardo Chillida, Ellsworth Kelly, Francis Bacon, Paul Rebeyrolle, Claude Garache, Antoni Tapies, Bram van Velde, Pierre Alechinsky, Pol Bury, Shusaku Arakawa, and Gerard Titus-Carmel. Printed in the ateliers of Mourlot, Arte, and Imprimerie Moderne du Lion, the periodical set new standards for quality in color lithography, combining fine art printing with elegant typography and poetic text. Beyond its visual brilliance, Derriere le Miroir also became a cultural chronicle of postwar European modernism. Each issue coincided with exhibitions held at Galerie Maeght, providing a collectible and widely accessible record of groundbreaking shows. Its integration of image, text, and philosophy created a dialogue between art and literature that elevated the modern art book to new aesthetic heights. Today, Derriere le Miroir remains one of the most sought-after and historically significant art publications, prized by collectors and scholars alike for its craftsmanship, influence, and its role in defining the visual language of 20th-century modernism. The Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence continues to honor this legacy through exhibitions and archival preservation of the series, affirming Derriere le Miroir's enduring place in the history of modern art and fine art publishing.
About the Artist:
Eduardo Chillida (1924–2002) was a Spanish Basque sculptor and printmaker internationally celebrated for his monumental abstract works that explore the interplay between form, space, and material. Renowned for his mastery of iron, steel, stone, and concrete, Chillida created sculptural compositions that evoke both architectural strength and poetic balance, reflecting his lifelong dialogue between the physical and the spiritual. Emerging in postwar Europe, his art stands alongside that of the great modern masters—Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—whose revolutionary approaches to form and perception shaped 20th-century art. Chillida’s work embodies a profound sense of harmony, rooted in the landscapes and philosophies of his native Basque Country, while maintaining a universal resonance. Exhibited internationally and collected by major institutions including MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Tate, and the Centre Pompidou, his sculptures and works on paper continue to command global acclaim. The highest price ever paid for an Eduardo Chillida artwork is approximately $4.1 million USD, achieved in 2022 at Christie’s Paris for Buscando la Luz IV (2001).
Eduardo Chillida Sans titre, Eduardo Chillida lithograph, Chillida Derriere le Miroir,
Chillida Maeght...