Adolphe Willette, Valmy!, Nude, 1899, Original Lithograph

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Description

Adolphe willette (1857 - 1926)

valmy!

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #24 (april 1899)

on wove … Read more Adolphe willette (1857 - 1926)

valmy!

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #24 (april 1899)

on wove paper

year: 1899

size (sheet): 405 x 305 mm
size (image): 304 x 232 mm

signed in the plate, bottom right

blind stamp of the publisher, bottom right, out of the image

excellent condition: minor signs of age
great colours
full margins (not cropped, not trimmed)

same print in:
the cleveland museum of art, cleveland, inventory: 2014.695.vv

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about the collection (l'estampe moderne)

l'estampe moderne appeared in 1897-1899 as a series of 24 monthly fascicles, each containing 4 original lithographs, printed by parisian imprimerie champenois. Many accomplished european art nouveau painters contributed works to this publication, which contained only original prints invented and produced especially for this collection. The publication was edited by charles masson and h. Piazza. Each issue came in a paper cover bearing an original lithograph by alphonse mucha.
each lithograph was accompanied by a tissue containing the details (title of the artwork, name of the artist, etc.) and a short text by a well-known author who inspired the artist (this one being by victor hugo).
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about the artist

adolphe léon willette (30 july 1857 – 4 february 1926) was a french painter, illustrator, caricaturist, and lithographer, as well as an architect of the famous moulin rouge cabaret.

willette studied for four years at the école des beaux-arts under alexandre cabanel. His graphical work ranged from dainty triviality or political satire: he made pierrot an imaginary hero of france, and established mimi pinson as frail, lovable, and essentially good-hearted. He could also be bitter and fierce, a partisan of political ideas. The guillotine and the figure of death appear in his caricatures.

he was a prolific contributor to the french illustrated press under the pseudonyms "cémoi", "pierrot", "louison", "bébé", and "nox", but more often under his own name. He illustrated melandri's les pierrots and les giboulles d'avril, le courrier français, and published his own pauvre pierrot and other works, in which he tells his stories in scenes in the manner of busch. He decorated several "brasseries artistiques" with wall-paintings, stained glass, and so on notably le chat noir and la palette d'or, and he painted the ceiling for la cigale music hall. Willette contributed to the salon des cent and six of his posters were published in les maîtres de l'affiche. A collection of his works was exhibited in 1888. His v'almy is in the luxembourg, paris.

willette's characteristically fantastic parce domine was commissioned by rodolphe salis for le chat noir in montmartre. It was shown in the franco-british exhibition in 1908.

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from the text on the tissue paper, by victor hugo:

ô soldats de l'an deux ! ô guerres ! épopées !
contre les rois tirant ensemble leurs épées,
prussiens, autrichiens,
contre toutes les tyrs et toutes les sodomes,
contre le czar du nord, contre ce chasseur d'hommes
suivi de tous ses chiens,

contre toute l'europe avec ses capitaines,
avec ses fantassins couvrant au loin les plaines,
avec ses cavaliers,
tout entière debout comme une hydre vivante,
ils chantaient, ils allaient, l'âme sans épouvante
et les pieds sans souliers !

au levant, au couchant, partout, au sud, au pôle,
avec de vieux fusils sonnant sur leur épaule,
passant torrents et monts,
sans repos, sans sommeil, coudes percés, sans vivres,
ils allaient, fiers, joyeux, et soufflant dans des cuivres
ainsi que des démons !

eux, dans l'emportement de leurs luttes épiques,
ivres, ils savouraient tous les bruits héroïques,
le fer heurtant le fer,
la marseillaise ailée et volant dans les balles,
les tambours, les obus, les bombes, les cymbales,
et ton rire, ô kléber !

la tristesse et la peur leur étaient inconnues.
ils eussent, sans nul doute, escaladé les nues
si ces audacieux,
en retournant les yeux dans leur course olympique,
avaient vu derrière eux la grande république
montrant du doigt les cieux !

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important:

. The listing is for the original print, in the above mentioned excellent condition.
. The original tissue paper introduction will be given to the buyer as a gift
. The cover by mucha and the edition (back of the cover) are shown as a reference and proof of authenticity 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