Salvador Dali, Pope Jules II from Les Songes Drôlatiques de Pantagruel, Original Large Lithograph, 1973

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Description

Salvador dali
pope jules ii
from "les songes drôlatiques de pantagruel" (the drolatic dreams of pantagruel)
from the rarest edition … Read more Salvador dali
pope jules ii
from "les songes drôlatiques de pantagruel" (the drolatic dreams of pantagruel)
from the rarest edition of 50 only

original lithograph on japan paper
year: 1973
76 x 56 cm ca
hand-signed
hand-numbered 8/50

catalogue raisonné:
r.michler and l. W. Löpsinger
"salvador dali, catalogue raisonné of prints ii - lithographs and wood engravings 1956-1980" pages 155 - ref. 1422

with certificate

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history of this artwork

sometime in the 1960s, spanish surrealist artist salvador dali, already considered one of the leading artists worldwide, discovered a special book published in paris in 1565 by richard breton, as the 'last work' of the writer françois rabelais, and named it after his bestseller about the giant pantagruel. This book, "les songes drôlatiques de pantagruel", i.e. The drolatic dreams of pantagruel (where 'drolatic' means funny and amusing), consists of 120 woodcuts, each page showing a completely different figure: strange, hybrid creatures, combinations of man and animal, insect, plant and object, pot-bellied or hunchbacked, with special noses, snouts, trunks or beaks; each having a title in the end of the book.
enraptured and inspired by the new discovery, he chose 25 images and devised variations on these then four-century-old prints. These images have been printed as original lithographs at atelier grapholith in paris, and published by carpentier in geneve in 1973.

this very artwork is one meant to represent pope jules ii

here the original text in french (an english translation follows):

le masque qui couvre ici le visage du pape jules ii n'empêche pas de le reconnoître. Ce nez prodigieux, symbole de sa lubricité, sa longue barbe distinctive, son bonnet domestique, surmonté d'une aigrette, cette robe papale, avec chapelet en sautoir, tout le démasque ici. Ce chien, à tête et à aigrette d'oiseau de paradis, qui lui chausse respectueusement la mule, figure clairement un des valets de chambre italiens de sa sainteté, qui sont quelquefois accusés de cynisme.

the mask that covers the face of pope julius ii here does not prevent us from recognising him. This prodigious nose, symbol of his lust, his long distinctive beard, his domestic cap, topped with an aigrette, this papal robe, with rosary in saltire, all unmask him here. This dog, with the head and a tuft of feathers of a bird of paradise, which respectfully shod his mule, clearly represents one of the italian valets of his holiness, who are sometimes accused of cynicism.
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sold with certificate of authenticity, copy of the catalogue raisonné, and copy of the original woodcut and which inspired dali (we have it in our collection) this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less