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an image of a painting of a bird flying over a body of wateran image of a painting of a landscape with trees in the backgrounda painting of a blue and purple abstract painting on a white backgroundan image of a painting of a tree in a field
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Estimate €7,000 - €8,500
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Description
Zao Wou-Ki Rimbaud, Arthur Arthur Rimbaud, *Les Illuminations*. Paris, Le Club français du livre, 1967. With 8 full-page, multicoloured original aquatint etchings by Zao Wou-Ki on BFK de Rives paper. Folio (approx. 42 × 31.5 cm), loose sheets, in the original slipcase and in the original box One of 200 copies. - Minssieux, Zao Wou-Ki: estampes & livres illustrés, 2008, no. 6. Jorgen Agerup, Zao Wou-Ki: The Graphic Work, 1994, nos. 174–181. Françoise Marquet, *Zao Wou-Ki, les estampes 1937–1974*, 1975, nos. 175–182. Each 31 x 23.3 cm (42 x 31.4 cm). - Signed in the colophon. - Zao Wou-Ki’s illustrations for Rimbaud’s *Illuminations* are among the most significant artist’s books of the École de Paris after 1945. The painter, who was born in Beijing, had been living in Paris since 1948. In the 1950s and 1960s, he developed a lyrical, atmospheric style of abstraction. It combines the sense of space found in Chinese ink painting with the colour sensibility of European modernism. Rimbaud’s visionary prose poems provide a perfect vehicle for this. Zao responds to them not with narrative illustration, but with free spaces of colour. Light, mist and movement dissolve within them into luminous, flowing forms. The eight etchings are printed using aquatint and etching in several colour passes, with precise registration. The colour palette ranges from deep blue through violet and green to warm ochre and red tones. The prints were produced in the workshop of Lacourière et Frelaut, which was renowned for its print quality. Magnificent prints, executed in luminous colour fields and finely graded aquatint, in which Zao Wou-Ki’s abstract fields of form appear as vibrant, atmospheric zones of light on heavy vellum paper. The work is classified among Zao Wou-Ki’s prints, which are closely associated with the Informel movement. It ranks among the artist’s most sought-after portfolios. Rimbaud’s *Illuminations*, presumably written between 1873 and 1875 and not published until 1886, are a collection of visionary prose poems and verses. They dissolve the boundaries of space, time and perception in bold, intoxicating images and are regarded as precursors of modern poetry. – A fine copy. With 8 full-page, multicoloured original aquatint etchings by Zao Wou-Ki on BFK de Rives paper. Folio (approx. 42 × 31.5 cm), loose sheets, in the original wrapper and original slipcase. One of 200 copies. - Signed in the colophon. - Zao Wou-Ki’s illustrations for Rimbaud’s *Illuminations* rank amongst the most important artists’ books of the École de Paris after 1945. The painter, born in Beijing, had lived in Paris since 1948. In the 1950s and 1960s, he developed a lyrical, atmospheric abstraction that combines the spatial conception of Chinese ink painting with the colour culture of European modernism. Rimbaud’s visionary prose poems provide a fitting context for this. Zao responds to them not with narrative illustration but with free fields of colour, in which light, mist and movement dissolve into luminous, flowing forms. The eight etchings are printed in aquatint and etching in several colour passes, with precise registration. The palette ranges from deep blue through violet and green to warm ochre and red tones. The prints were produced in the workshop of Lacourière et Frelaut, renowned for its printing quality. Magnificent prints, executed in luminous fields of colour and finely graded aquatint, in which Zao Wou-Ki’s abstract formal areas appear as vibrating, atmospheric zones of light on heavy wove paper. The work is counted amongst Zao Wou-Ki’s Informel-related prints. It is one of the artist’s most sought-after portfolio works. Rimbaud’s *Illuminations*, probably written between 1873 and 1875 and not published until 1886, are a collection of visionary prose poems and verse. They dissolve the boundaries of space, time and perception in bold, rapturous images and are regarded as a forerunner of modern poetry. – Good copy. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This work is subject to the standard margin scheme. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
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