Lithograph: "Peintures" by the French abstract artist Jean Deyrolle (c.1959)

This is an exhibition catalogue for a solo show titled simply "Peintures" by the French abstract master Jean Deyrolle (1911–1967), running from October 13 to November 2, 1959.

This is the original, multi-color lithograph Deyrolle created specifically to serve as the wrap-around cover for this exhibition.

Jean Deyrolle and the Geometry of the "Réalités Nouvelles"

While Jean Le Moal championed fluid Lyrical Abstraction, Jean Deyrolle was an absolute titan of Geometric Abstraction.

In the late 1940s and 1950s, Deyrolle became a central figure of the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, an influential association of artists dedicated entirely to abstract art that was free from any figurative representation.

Unlike strict, cold mathematical constructivism, however, Deyrolle's geometry was organic, lively, and highly tactile. You can see his signature style perfectly realized: sharp, angular ochre and blue triangles intersecting with aggressive, rhythmic, charcoal-like slashes, all resting over a muted, earthy green background.

The Golden Age of Galerie de France (1959)

By October 1959, Galerie de France was arguably at the absolute peak of its global influence. Under Gildo Caputo and Myriam Prévot, the gallery was the premier stronghold for the post-war avant-garde. A solo show here in 1959 didn't just capture the attention of Paris; it dictated international modern art trends and attracted top-tier museums and global collectors looking for the next phase of abstract evolution after the initial post-war boom.

The Liturgical Print Note

There is a note printed at the bottom left corner of the catalogue:

"Une lithographie originale constitue la couverture de ce catalogue."

(An original lithograph constitutes the cover of this catalogue.)

Instead of commissioning a standard commercial printer to run a cheap, glossy photograph of a canvas for the cover, the gallery provided Deyrolle with actual lithographic stones. He hand-drew the color separations directly onto the stones, which were then printed on a traditional hand-press using heavy, deckle-edged woven paper.

A Hidden Signature

Note the faint signature in pencil, bottom right corner of the print.

247mm x 330mm
Minor rubbing to the surface.

R1,500