Miró’s Constellations in The Matisse Legacy, Part II: Works from the Collection of Jacquelyn Miller Matisse
Inspired by Surrealism’s poetic compositions and dream-like style, Joan Miró ‘s series of gouaches titled Constellations, made between 1940 and 1941, were the basis for the illustrated book of the same title published by Pierre Matisse in 1959. Matisse’s close relationship with Miró helped to create what is considered one of the artist’s best works in this medium. The illustrated book contains twenty-two pochoir reproductions of the gouache series, along with a lithograph and accompanying written text by André Breton.
The Constellations drawings were made in Spain where Miró lived in 1940 and 1941 to escape Paris at the beginning of WWII. Pierre Matisse showed them for the first time in 1945, in his New York Gallery, where they were received with great interest by American collectors who were not familiar with Miró’s cosmic compositions and became influencial for New York School artists. The book was printed by Mourlot in an edition of 350.
The copy of Constellations being offered in The Matisse Legacy, Part II on February 23 comes directly from the artist and Pierre Matisse with impeccable provenance. It is an incomplete book, lacking the lithograph. Pierre Matisse Gallery inventory notes that this set was meant to be copy 3 of 350.
Time & Location
The Matisse Legacy, Part II: Works from the Collection of Jacquelyn Miller Matisse on Thursday, February 23 at 11am