Carl Pickhardt

Abstract

ca. 1950s

Antoni Clavé Untitled, from the Album International 2 Portfolio, 1977 Mixed media: Lithograph in relief 29 1/4 × 19 3/4 inches Edition 1/50 Signed and number on front Unframed This is a rare lithograph by the world renowned Catalan graphic artist, painter and sculptor, signed and numbered in pencil from the limited edition of only 50. Superb provenance as it is was acquired from the original Album International Portfolio, number 1 of 50. Text from the Colophon page reads as follows: Born in Barcelona, living in St. Tropez, France. Lithograph in relief, edition of 50, each numbered and signed by the artist. Antoni Clavé biography Antoni Clavé was born in Barcelona on April 5th, 1913. From 1926 he attended evening courses at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios "Llotja", a school both Picasso and Miró attended in their youth. In 1927, one of Clavé's teachers found him a position as a house painter's apprentice because of his growing fascination with the hands-on nature of painting and especially with the materials used for such work, like learning how to prepare paints. In 1932, Clavé stopped attending evening classes and, on the recommendation of Illescas, an architect, was employed at the firm of Cinaes, where he designed the weekly cinema posters. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), he served as a draughtsman for the Republican government but eventually was forced to flee to France. After a brief internment at Les Haras camp in Perpignan, Clavé settled in Paris in 1939 without any papers, drawing comics and working as an illustrator to get by. In the 1940s Clavé's work showed the stylistic influence of Bonnard and Vuillard, until he met fellow Spanish expatriate Pablo Picasso in 1944. This meeting marked a pivotal change in Clavé's style, and he was forever grateful to be considered a lifelong friend of Don Pablo, as he called him. From 1946, Clavé created numerous designs for the ballet and theatre in Paris, Munich, London and New York and in the 1950s, he turned to book illustration. He was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design) for his work on the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen. In 1954, Clavé ceased working as a stage-set designer and illustrator to devote himself entirely to painting, visiting Spain again. His paintings became more abstract and enigmatic; inspired by wall...

Ernest Tino Trova TROVA (hand signed by Ernest Trova), 1978 Hardback monograph with dust jacket (hand signed by Ernest Trova) Hand signed by Ernest Trova on the half title page 11 × ...