Printer: Mourlot (1 of 2,000 Editions) 

Dimensions: 65 x 53 cm

Condition: Very good 

Frame: Currently unframed

Description: Les Grands Maîtres de la Lithographie (The Grand Masters of Lithography) was organised in 1987 to celebrate some of the finest artistic lithographs of the twentieth century. This original exhibition poster was produced for its showing at Copenhagen’s historic Magasin du Nord and features a vibrant image by Raoul Dufy, one of France’s most gifted colourists.

Dufy’s work is instantly recognisable. His flowing lines and fresh, spontaneous use of colour brought a remarkable sense of movement to everything he painted, from regattas and racecourses to orchestras, gardens and the French Riviera. The same qualities translated beautifully into lithography, where he worked closely with the Mourlot studio over many years.

The exhibition brought together artists who transformed the art of lithography, including Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Miró and Braque, placing Dufy in exceptional company. The poster points to how central Mourlot was in presenting major twentieth-century artists, and to Dufy’s significant role in that wider history of French lithography.

Artist: Raoul Dufy (1877-1953) was a French painter, draftsman, printmaker, book illustrator and designer associated with the fauvist movement. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre and Paris. His first exhibition was in 1901. He painted recreational scenes including horse races and regattas and his colourful, decorative style was fashionable for ceramics and textile designs. He completed one of the largest public paintings for the La Fée Electricité for the 1937 Exposition Internationale in Paris. It is on display in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris.