PABLO PICASSO 1881-1973 Málaga 1881-1973 Mougins (Spanish) Title: Acrobats | Les Saltimbanques, 1905/1922 Technique: Hand Signed and Numbered Etching and Aquatint on Arches Wove Paper Paper Size: 66.8 x 48 cm. / 26.3 x 18.9 in. Image Size: 59 x 41.5 cm. / 23.2 x 16.3 in. Additional Information: The work is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Picasso" at the lower left margin. It is also hand numbered in pencil, from the edition of/200 at the lower left margin next to the signature. It is also signed and dated "Picasso 1905" in the plate on the lower right edge and inscribed in the plate "Gravé par Jacques Villon, 1922" in the lower left edge. This work was printed in 1922 in a limited edition of 200 signed and numbered impressions. It was published by Bernheim-Jeune, Éditeurs, Paris. After the First World War, Jacques Villon engraved a series of aquatints after paintings by the Modern Masters, such as Matisse, Picasso, Braque, Derain, Laurencin, Signac, Renoir, Cezanne, Vlaminck, Bonnard, Manet, Dufy, Modigiliani, Van Gogh, and others. This print was part of this series. Note: From late 1904 to the beginning of 1906, Picasso's work centred on a single theme: the saltimbanque, or itinerant circus performer. The theme of the circus and the circus performer had a long tradition in art and in literature, and had become especially prominent in French art of the late nineteenth century. A more immediate inspiration for Picasso came from performances of the Cirque Médrano, a circus that the artist attended frequently near his residence and studio in Montmartre. Literature: De Ginestet, C. & Pouillon, C. (1979). Jacques Villon; Les estampes et les Illustrations Catalogue Raisonné. Paris: Arts et Métiers Graphiques. Reference: de Ginestat & Pouillon 634

"You begin with the possibilities of the material"

R. Rauschenberg

CARDBIRD IV, 1971

Rober Rauschenberg

Cardbirds is a series of artworks produce between 1970 and 1971 by the predecessor of Pop Art - Robert Rauschenberg.

Raushenberg born in Texas in 1925. After his studies he settled down in New York where he met the artists Cy Twobly and Knox Martin. During his life he acted as an important bridge between Abstract Expressionism and Pop art and can be credited as one of the major influences in the return to favour of representational art in the USA.

Rauschenberg’s works from the 1970s reflect his incessant experimentation with new materials. 
Where the 1960s were dominated by repetitive mass media imagery, the 1970s reveal a focus on natural fibres, a simplification of the artist’s materials to incorporate fabric, cardboard and other natural elements such as mud, rope and handmade paper. 

Cardbird IV (detail)

The catalyst for this dramatic change in both subject matter and material can be explained by a change in Rauschenberg’s physical environment – his decision to move from New York City to Captiva Island, Florida, had a profound effect on the appearance of his work.
With no city to offer up its detritus, the artist turned to the things that surrounded him in his new environment and the move had yielded numerous cardboard boxes. 
Rauschenberg has suggested that his choice of cardboard as a new material was the result of:

"A desire … to work in a material of waste and softness. 

Something yielding with its only message a collection of lines imprinted like a friendly joke. A silent discussion of their history exposed by their new shapes".

Cardbird IV (detail)



The Cardbird series of 1971 is a tongue-in-cheek visual joke, a printed mimic of cardboard constructions. 

The labour intensive process involved in the creation of the series remains invisible to the viewer – the artist created a prototype cardboard construction which was then photographed and the image transferred to a lithographic press and printed before a final lamination onto cardboard backing. 

The extreme complexity of construction belies the banality of the series and, in this way, Rauschenberg references both Pop’s Brillo boxes by Andy Warhol and Minimalist boxes such as those by Donald Judd. 

By selecting the most mundane of materials, Rauschenberg once again succeeds in a glamorous makeover of the most ordinary of objects. This is an exploration of a new order of materials, a radical scrambling of the material hierarchy of modernism.

Cardbird IV (Retro)

For more information visit www.gildensarts.com or contact us at info@gildensarts.com

ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG 1925 –2008 Port Arthur, Texas 1925 –2008 Captiva Island, Florida (American) Title: Cardbird IV, 1971 Technique: Original Hand Signed, Dated and Numbered Collage with Offset Lithograph, Screenprint and Tape on Corrugated Cardboard. Paper size: 99.6 × 99 cm. / 39.2 x 39 in. Additional Information: This original work is hand signed in black felt-tip pen by the artist "Rauschenberg" verso and dated “71” (1971) next to the signature. It is also numbered in black felt pen "31/75" on the verso. It is from the series “Cardbirds” produced between 1970 and 1971. The work was published and printed by Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles in a limited edition of 75 signed and numbered impressions in 1971. There were also six artist’s proofs. It bears the Gemini G.E.L stamp, verso. Literature: Robert Rauschenberg: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1966–2005. Los Angeles: Gemini G.E.L. Reference: Gemini 306 Condition: Excellent condition. Soft, unobtrusive creasing at the sheet edges.

FRANCIS BACON

Œdipus & the Sphinx after Ingres, 1983

Oedipus, a character from Greek mythology, is facing the Sphinx, a monster, with the face, head, and shoulders of a woman, a lion's body, and bird's wings. 
When the monster asked him:
"What is it that has a voice and walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?" 
Oedipus answered that it was man who, as a child crawls on all fours, as an adult walks on two legs, and in old age uses a stick as a third leg. 
The theme of the story is the triumph of intelligence and one of man confronting his destiny since Oedipus's exploit will lead to him becoming king of Thebes and marrying his mother Jocasta, as the oracle had predicted when he was born.

In 1808,  this story was the subject of a work by Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres, who was then the resident artist at the Villa Medici, in Rome.
 

In 1983, Francis Bacon, whose work has been inspired by the works of classical artists, such
as Velázquez, reinterpreted the composition.

 ‘Oedipus no longer occupies the centre of the painting, as in Ingres; instead, he is pushed to the right-hand side and left only partially visible in
an otherwise empty centre: a thigh and a foot, abundantly wrapped in bandages and displaying deep and bloody wounds. 

While, in Ingres, Oedipus dominates, occupying the centre, safely manipulating the sphinx, Bacon transforms the winner into a loser’, wrote the critic David Sylvester (Interviews with Bacon).

For more information contact us at info@gildensarts.com or come to our gallery in Hampstead, London to visit us!

FRANCIS BACON 1909-1992 Dublin 1909-1992 Madrid (Irish / British) Title: Œdipus & the Sphinx after Ingres, 1983 Technique: Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in colours on Arches wove paper. Paper size: 127 x 90 cm. / 50 x 35.4 in. Image size: 117 x 86 cm. / 46.1 x 33.9 in. Additional Information: This lithograph is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Francis Bacon" in the lower right margin. It is also inscribed in pencil "HC" (Hors Commerce) in the lower left margin. The work was printed in a limited edition of 150 impressions by Arts Litho, France and published by Éditions de la Différence, Paris in 1983 The paper bears the printer's dry stamp at the lower margin. Literature: 1. Tacou, A. Francis Bacon,Estampes. Editions Bervillé. Reference: Tacou 17 2. Sabatier, B. (2012) Francis Bacon: Oeuvre Graphique - Graphic Work. Catalogue Raisonné. Paris: JSC Modern Art Gallery. Reference: Sabatier 18

Gilden’s Arts Gallery is pleased to present a special piece by Marc Chagall:

  The Red Boot

The Red Boot, 1965

This special monotype was printed in 1965  and it belong to an outstanding group of 306 monotypes that were executed in collaboration with Gerald Cramer and the printer Jacques Frelaut. It was Cramer, his Swiss publisher, to introduce Chagall at this technique in 1961.

An exhibition of examples from that body of works was presented at the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York between November 1979 and January 1980. Riva Castlemain, Director of the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books at the MOMA, interestingly noted at the time that "This exhibition is about the creative interaction of three devoted people".

This work, The Red Boot, has many typical aspects of iconography of this artist such as the couple, the Bouquet and the child.

 

Monotype is a printmaking technique in which an un-worked metal plate is drawn on using ink and then pressed against a piece of paper. Usually, the ink will last for one strong and one weak impression – creating an ‘original drawing’ and a printed edition of one (hence the name).

For more information contact us at info@gildensarts.com or come to our gallery in Hampstead, London to visit us!

Details:

Artist: MARC CHAGALL 1887-1985
Title: The Red Boot / La Botte Rouge, 1965
Technique: Original Hand Signed Oil Monotype on Japan nacré paper
Paper Size: 56.5 x 44 cm / 22.2 x 17.3 in
Image Size: 40 x 30 cm / 15.7 x 11.8 in
Additional Information: This colour monotype is hand signed with black ink, "Marc Chagall" at the lower left corner of the image.
The work was painted with Oil paint on a copper plate by Chagall and then it was pulled on paper by Jacques Frelaut in 1965. This work is a unique piece.
This monotype is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Patrick Cramer, the internationally recognized expert for Chagall's Monotypes. Patrick Cramer was himself present when many of Chagall Monotypes were created.

Exhibitions:
- Galerie Patrick Cramer, Geneva, Switzerland. 19th November - 21st January 2011.
- Bouquinerie de l'institut, Paris, France. 20th October - 23rd December 2011.

Provenance: The Estate of Marc Chagall
Literature :Cramer Gerald, Marc Chagall Monotypes 1966 - 1975 Volume 1.
Reference: Cramer 143, p 49, Illustrated

"Dans notre vie, comme sur la palette d’un artiste,

 une seule couleur donne tout son sens à l’art et à la vie, 

c’est la couleur de l’Amour."

Marc Chagall

MARC CHAGALL: VISIONS and COLOURS

The Rainbow, 1969

Gilden’s Arts is honoured to present a new exhibition of works by Marc Chagall. The catalogue covers the artist’s oeuvre from his early works until the most mature post war works.

Marc Chagall's poetic, figurative style made him one of most popular modern artists, while his long life and varied output made him one of the most internationally recognised.

Chagall's distinction lies in his steady faith in the power of figurative art, that he maintained despite absorbing ideas from Fauvism and Cubism.

Marc Chagall’s world communicates happiness and optimism through the use of bright and vivid colours. A world in colours as if it was seen throughout the outstanding stained glasses he realised in Jerusalem.

Motherhood, 1954

Born in the Russian town of Vitebsk to a very traditional Jewish family, Chagall's poetic works recall a sort of childish fantasy and the magical background of Russian story tales.

Renowned for their magnificent colouration and fantastic imagery, the many series of Marc Chagall range across themes and sentiment.

From his narrative renderings of Daphins and Chloe and the Arabian Nights, to his visions of the old testament, a delightful interpretation full of symbols and colours. 

The Wolf Trap from Daphnis and Chloe, 1961

Moses, 1956

The exhibition will run until the end of October 2015, we are looking forward welcoming you in our Gallery in Hampstead, London.

For more information please visit www.gildensarts.com or view our catalogue here.

Pique, Pablo Picasso

"Others have seen what is and asked why. 

I have seen what could be and asked why not. ” 

(Pablo Picasso, Pablo Picasso: Metamorphoses of the Human Form : Graphic Works, 1895-1972)

Pique

Pablo Picasso is arguably one of the most well known and influential artists of the 20th century. Although he is famous for his fortunate paintings he is a rare example of multifaceted artist.  He was a painter, a sculptor,a ceramicist, a stage designer,a poet and playwright and a printmaker.    

Picasso created lithographs, etchings, drypoints, linocuts and woodcuts.  Always searching for something new, he experimented a lot with these techniques. Some of Picasso’s graphic works are combinations of several techniques. Pique is a perfect example of his experimentation and virtuosity.

It was the summer 1955 when Picasso moved to the South of France with his second wife Jacqueline Roque. 

Far from the printshops of Mourlot and Frélaut in Paris, Picasso began to make linocuts with the printer Hidalgo Arnéra in Vallauris.  He experimented with the printing methods, from the physical carving and inking of the plates to the chemical makeup of the inks, and created about 200 linocuts in this period.

Arnéra was an involved collaborator in Picasso’s experimentation.  Frustrated by the technical limitations of traditional colour relief printing, Picasso, invented his own 'reductive' method. While Picasso had occasionally used the linocut technique before to a limited extent, his previous efforts essentially mimicked the woodcut. 

As he worked with Arnéra, however, he developed the medium to its full expressive potential, using methods as unique as sanding the plate for texture and wetting an inked sheet under the shower to achieve particular textural effects.  His innovative linocut technique allowed Picasso to work with fluidity to realise his unique creative vision.

Picasso's palette for many Linocuts (from 19959 to 1962) is limited to a range of earth-tones soft tans and browns. The sequence in which the colours were printed progressed from light to dark , from cream to caramel, to light brown , and was completed by the dominant black design printed over the accumulated muted tones.

In subject, the Linocuts of 1959 begin with a series of bullfight scenes, where Picasso focused on the interaction and drama of the main participants, who are presented at close range. The embroidered costume of the matador is made much of and delight is taken in the swirling cape: the bull seems to dance rather than charge.

Description:

Artist: PABLO PICASSO (Málaga1881-1973 Mougins)

Title: Pique,1959/1960

Technique: Original Hand Signed and Numbered Linoleum Cut in Colours on Arches vellum paper

Paper Size: 62.3 x 75.3 cm / 24.5 x 29.3 in

Image Size: 53.3 x 64.2 cm / 21 x 25.3 in 

This original linoleum cut is hand signed in pencil by the artist "Picasso" in the lower right margin. It is also numbered in pencil "44/50" in the lower left margin.

The work was published by Galerie Louise Leiris, Paris and printed by Hidalgo Arnera, Vallauris in 1960 in a limited edition of 50 signed and numbered impressions.

The paper bears the Arches watermark.

Literature:

1. Bloch, Georges. 1975. Pablo Picasso: Tome I, Catalogue de l'oeuvre Grave et Lithographie 1904-1967, edition Kornfeld et Klipstein, Berne.

Reference:Bloch Bloch 911

2. Baer,Brigitte. 1994. Picasso: Peintre-Graveur, Tome V, Catalogue Raisonne de l'OEuvre Grave et des Monotypes, 1959-1965, Editions Kornfeld, Berne.

Reference:Baer 1228 B.b.2.a

More information and Images HERE

Please feel free to come to our Gallery in Hampstead to see this beautiful Piece of Art. 

Otherwise you can come visiting us at The London Original Print Fair. 

It takes place in the stunning palace of Royal Academy of Art in London from the 23th to the 26th of April 2015.

“...I hate the word ‘collectionism’. All what I gathered was not done in the name of the private property, but for the love for art, particularly for Surrealism, which deeply marked my life ”

Arturo Umberto Samuele Schwarz , June 2014

  

We are proud to be able to present our new exhibition showcasing a selection of works on paper and ready-mades from the Arturo Schwartz gallery.

  Arturo Umberto Samuele Schwarz, son of a German father and an Italian mother, is an Italian scholar, art historian, poet, writer and curator. He was born in Alexandria (Egypt) in 1924 and lived there until 1949, when he moved to Milan. There he opened his gallery and started collecting important pieces of Dada and Surrealist Art, including many works by personal friends, such as Marcel Duchamp, André Breton, Man Ray, and Jean Arp.

  The Schwarz gallery started as an avant-garde publishing house. In April 1952, when he was twenty eight-years old, Arturo Schwartz started his career in one of the Milan’s suburban backstreets. He soon won a name for himself printing texts by authors then almost unpublished in Italy, - André Breton, Albert Einstein, Daniel Guerin, Pierre Naville, Benjamin Peret, Leon Trotsky – and monographs concerning the new cultural climate that developed in the post-war period. 

The young publisher’s classical education (degrees in philosophy and natural sciences), along with his activity as a Surrealist poet and writer, had, since 1944, predisposed him to an interest in European avant-gardes. 

  He combined his activity as an art dealer with a strong philanthropic need. During a recent interview in June 2014, he said: “A man is many things at the same time and there is no contradiction between being a merchant and having the need to transmit a heritage. There is a spiritual willing which goes beyond the money and it is stronger than that. That’s why I donated around a thousand works to four big international museums”.

“Though I am an agnostic, I am profoundly attached to the ethical values of Judaism,'' he said. ''For us, a good act is a commandment. Besides, I feel it is immoral that a private person should egoistically keep hold of something that the community could usefully enjoy.'' 

The gallery was closed in 1975, after twenty-one years of activity. Despite the closure of this important art centre, Schwarz continued to have an active and busy cultural life. In 1994 he was elected to the board of governors of the University of Tel Aviv which rewarded him with a degree in philosophy and the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. He is also an honorary fellow of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, having donated his seven hundreds-piece collection of Dada and Surrealist art to the museum. He also donated an important collection to the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome.

  Schwarz’s passion for Surrealism exploded after reading the Manifesto by André Breton. In the early 40s he sent Breton some pieces of poetry and Breton replied encouraging him to write. Then Schwarz decided to join the Surrealist group. He was happy to be in touch with artists who were “extremely free and intellectually honest”. He first met Duchamp in 1945 and they became close friends.

  The first exhibition was organised at the first venue, a bookshop in Via Sant’Andrea, in May 1954 and was a homage to Marcel Duchamp. Schwarz chose to put on display books, etchings and some sculptures. In the same month he organised a very interesting exhibition showing the books of the main Surrealist poets (Breton, Char, Eluard, Lautremont, Prevert and others), illustrated by the main surrealist artists (Brauner, Dali, Miro, Masson, Tanguy) and published at Guy Levis-Mano in Paris.

MARCEL DUCHAMP 1887 - 1968

An Original Revolutionary Fauce:Mirrorical return, 1964

Original Hand Signed and Numbered Etching on paper

Plate Size: 17.5 x 13.2 cm / 6.8 x 5.2 in

The  caption reads: “Un robinet  original revolutionnaire, renvoi miriorique? Un robinet qui s’arrete de couler quand on ne l’ecoute pas”, which translates “An original revolutionary faucet, mirrorical return? A Faucet which stops dripping when nobody is listening to it”.

In this work Duchamp pays his tribute to his 1917 Readymade, Fountain, an ordinary men’s –room urinal that he sent to the first exhibition of the Society of Independents in New York.

The etching process requires the preparation of a plate in reverse, in effect, a mirror image of the final result.