Vol. II 40
Lithograph with pochoir hand coloring, 1937
Signed with the artist's stamp in red lower right
From: 1 to 40 Variations, introduction by Maholy-Nagy, forward by the artist and printing supervised by Marcel Duchamp.
Edition: 65 (intended edditon of 80)
Titled lower left
Signed and dated in red lower right with stamp signature
Printed on cram BFK Rives paper
Assembled by Pond-Ekberg Company, Springfield, MA
Condition: Very good
Provenance: Distinguished Private Collection, Indianapolis
1 to 40 Variations (1934)
Whilst renting a studio on Place Dauphine in Paris during the 1930s, Katherine Dreier developed a series of lithographs, reproduced and published in 1937. Titled 40 Variations, this vibrant set of abstract images intended to capture musical experience in visual composition. "During 1933 two things were happening over here which greatly intrigued my imagination!," explained Dreier in her introduction to the series. "The first of these was the playing of Beethoven's Variations at many a concert during the winter months, and the other was the International Regatta during some of our most perfect summer days. Both events made a deep impression, and there flashed on my mind the query - why not translate these two experiences into the realm of abstract art?"
Using an elementary drawing as her foundation, Dreier introduced variation by a combination of hand-coloring and stenciling - a complicated printing process overseen by Duchamp - limiting herself to a palette of four colors: red, blue, yellow, and umber. The variation of colors attests to the significance of Kandinsky's work for Dreier.
Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Lithograph with pochoir hand coloring, 1937
Signed with the artist's stamp in red lower right
From: 1 to 40 Variations, introduction by Maholy-Nagy, forward by the artist and printing supervised by Marcel Duchamp.
Edition: 65 (intended edditon of 80)
Titled lower left
Signed and dated in red lower right with stamp signature
Printed on cram BFK Rives paper
Assembled by Pond-Ekberg Company, Springfield, MA
Condition: Very good
Provenance: Distinguished Private Collection, Indianapolis
1 to 40 Variations (1934)
Whilst renting a studio on Place Dauphine in Paris during the 1930s, Katherine Dreier developed a series of lithographs, reproduced and published in 1937. Titled 40 Variations, this vibrant set of abstract images intended to capture musical experience in visual composition. "During 1933 two things were happening over here which greatly intrigued my imagination!," explained Dreier in her introduction to the series. "The first of these was the playing of Beethoven's Variations at many a concert during the winter months, and the other was the International Regatta during some of our most perfect summer days. Both events made a deep impression, and there flashed on my mind the query - why not translate these two experiences into the realm of abstract art?"
Using an elementary drawing as her foundation, Dreier introduced variation by a combination of hand-coloring and stenciling - a complicated printing process overseen by Duchamp - limiting herself to a palette of four colors: red, blue, yellow, and umber. The variation of colors attests to the significance of Kandinsky's work for Dreier.
Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
