Maurice Eliot, Printemps, 1897, Lithograph on Paper

Details

Description

Maurice eliot (1862-1945)

printemps
(spring)

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #5 (september 1897)

on wove paper

… Read more Maurice eliot (1862-1945)

printemps
(spring)

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #5 (september 1897)

on wove paper

year: 1897

size (sheet): 405 x 305 mm

signed on the plate "maurice eliot", lower left

blind stamp of the publisher, lower right

excellent condition: minor signs of age and handling
full margins (not cropped, not trimmed)
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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.
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the artist

maurice eliot (1862–1945) was a distinguished french painter, pastellist, and lithographer who successfully navigated the transition from academic classicism to a more modern, light-infused aesthetic. A student of émile bin and alexandre cabanel, eliot developed a style characterized by its luminous atmosphere and a gentle, poetic realism. He is particularly celebrated for his scenes of rural life and elegant parisian figures, which he rendered with a soft, flickering touch reminiscent of impressionism, yet anchored by solid draftsmanship.
his work often captures the quiet beauty of the french countryside, emphasizing the play of sunlight through foliage or the delicate shimmer of water. As a key contributor to l'estampe moderne, eliot utilized lithography to bring his refined sensibility to a broader audience. His style is marked by a harmonious color palette and a decorative grace that aligns with the belle époque spirit, favoring subjects that evoke a sense of serenity, youth, and the fleeting charm of the natural world.
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from the text on the tissue paper:

"tout le long du chemin, aux cimes des buissons
l'aubépine a neigé ses fleurs de neige rose,
où le vol caressant des papillons se pose,
où se piquent les doigts amoureux des garçons.

tout le long du chemin s'égrènent les chansons
dont le printemps joyeux chasse l'hiver morose.
sur la rose en bouton, sur la lèvre mi-close,
l'haleine des baisers met les mêmes frissons.
- armand silvestre

drapée de mousselines flottantes qui semblent tissées d'azur, les pieds nus effleurant à peine l'herbe tendre des prés où bientôt pointeront la primevère et le muguet d'argent, une jeune fille, symbolisant le printemps, passe, délicate et légère, au milieu des floraisons nouvelles qui forment un cadre naturel à sa beauté. Elle passe, emportant d'un geste gracieux vers les clairières, où l'hiver s'attarde peut-être et où déjà chante l'alouette, les brassées des premières églantines qu'elle sèmera le long de sa route."

english translation:

all along the path, on the tips of the bushes,
the hawthorn has snowed its flowers of pink snow,
where the caressing flight of butterflies alights,
where the amorous fingers of boys are pricked.

all along the path, songs are scattered
with which joyous spring hunts away morose winter.
upon the budding rose, upon the half-closed lip,
the breath of kisses places the same shivers.
- armand silvestre

draped in floating muslins that seem woven from the azure sky, her bare feet barely grazing the tender grass of the meadows where the primrose and the silver lily of the valley will soon appear, a young girl, symbolising spring, passes by—delicate and light—amidst the new blooms that form a natural frame for her beauty. She passes, carrying with a graceful gesture toward the clearings—where winter perhaps lingers and where the lark already sings—armfuls of the first wild roses, which she will sow along her way.
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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 and edition 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