Joan Miró, Le Vieil Irlandais (The Old Irish), 1969

Artist: Joan Miró (1893 - 1983)
Title:Le Vieil Irlandais (The Old Irish), 1969
Reference:D. 521
Medium:Original Color Etching & Aquatint with Carborundum
Image Size:41 1/4 in x 27 3/4 in (104.8 cm x 70.5 cm)
Sheet Size:41 1/4 in x 27 3/4 in (104.8 cm x 70.5 cm)
Framed Size:59 in x 45 in (149.9 cm x 114.3 cm)
Edition:Numbered from the edition of 75 in white crayon in the lower left (from the total edition of 75 numbered and signed prints plus some artist's proofs).
Signature:This work is hand-signed by Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1893 - Palma, 1983) in white crayon in the lower right.
Condition:This work is in excellent condition, a bold impression with bright, vibrant colors. The carborundum is very deep with a rich texture throughout the areas of black.
ID #w-4145

Historical Description

Appropriately entitled Le Vieil Irlandais (The Old Irish), this marvelous work draws us in with its vibrant green background, bold black lines, and rich sense of texture conveyed through the use of carborundum. The carborundum in this particular piece is extraordinary - one of the best examples that we have witnessed in our gallery. This is a Miró to be viewed in person, as its surface and textural quality cannot be duly translated through digital photography. The size of the piece adds to the overall effect of the work, as the image extends beyond the plate mark, reaching the extreme sheet edge. Bold black lines convey a curious figure, who almost appears to have eyes, gazing out at us. Miró's playful star and arrow-like forms flit about against a bright kelly green background. The entire composition is instilled with a sense of frenetic energy and animation, almost as if Miro had splashed paint onto the surface, instilling this print with a life all its own.

Created in 1969, this etching & aquatint with carborundum is hand signed in white crayon by Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1893 - Palma, 1983) in the lower right and numbered from the edition of 75 in white crayon in the lower left (from the total edition of 75 numbered and signed prints plus some artist's proofs). This piece is published by Maeght éditeur, Paris and printed by Morsang, Paris.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
This work is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Dupin, Jacques. Miró Engraver, vol. II 1961 - 1973, Rizzoli: New York, 1989. Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 521 on pg. 169.

2. Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Miró - l'œuvre graphique, Paris, 1974. Listed in this catalogue raisonné as cat. no. 167 on pg. 48.

3. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:
This work is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.