This exquisite lithograph by Alfred Manessier (1911–1993), titled La tache rouge (The Red Spot), originates from the 1972 edition published by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, April 5, 1972. This radiant composition exemplifies Manessier’s poetic synthesis of structure and spirituality, where color becomes both emotion and illumination. La tache rouge captures the artist’s deep fascination with the harmony between matter and light, transforming abstraction into a meditative visual language. Through interwoven planes of glowing pigment, the work conveys rhythm, stillness, and transcendence—hallmarks of Manessier’s lyrical approach to modern abstraction.
Executed as a lithograph on velin d’Arches paper, this work measures 12.81 x 9.81 inches (32.54 x 24.92 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the exceptional craftsmanship of the Mourlot Freres atelier, whose collaborations with the leading artists of the 20th century set the standard for fine art lithography.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Alfred Manessier (1911–1993)
Title: La tache rouge (The Red Spot), 1972
Medium: Lithograph on velin d’Arches paper
Dimensions: 12.81 x 9.81 inches (32.54 x 24.92 cm)
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1972
Publisher: Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the edition published by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, in collaboration with Leon Amiel, editeurs, New York, 1972
Notes:
Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This album is the album of friendship, and I want to thank all the artists who wanted to participate. Some lithographs presented here, and whose authors have left us for too long, were made at my request for an album "Adieu a la rue de Chabrol" that I intended to publish ten years ago. So it was at this time that I was able to get the lithos of Braque, Cocteau, Derain, Giacometti and Villon. Mrs. Duthuit-Matisse and her brothers authorized me to print the composition of Henri Matisse, an unused original lithograph of the album by Teriade "La Religieuse portugaise". I am happy to have brought together so many works by contemporary artists, it is a great honor for me and I am infinitely grateful to them. Finished printing in Paris on April 5, 1972, this album was printed on velin d’Arches, in DCCC numbered examples. In addition, a number of copies were printed for artists, friends and collaborators of this album. The original lithographs were printed by Mourlot, and the typography is from Fequet and Baudier. Alain A.C. Mazo, Paris, and Leon Amiel, New York, publishers.
About the Publication:
Souvenirs et Portraits d'Artistes (Memories and Portraits of Artists), published in 1972 by Editions A. C. Mazo et Cie., Paris, and Leon Amiel, New York, represents one of the most remarkable collaborative projects in postwar modern printmaking. Conceived as an homage to friendship and artistic dialogue, the album brought together original lithographs by many of the 20th century’s most celebrated artists, each contributing a work that reflected their personal style and creative spirit. Alfred Manessier’s La tache rouge perfectly embodies this spirit—its luminous abstraction and meditative intensity capturing both the lyricism and discipline of modern art at its height. The publication remains a landmark of artistic collaboration, uniting painters, printers, and publishers in the shared pursuit of beauty, emotion, and technical mastery.
About the Artist:
Alfred Manessier (1911–1993) was a French painter, printmaker, and stained-glass artist whose luminous abstractions and mastery of color established him as one of the most important figures of postwar European modernism. Born in Saint-Ouen, France, he studied architecture before enrolling at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he absorbed the structural discipline of Paul Cezanne, the chromatic brilliance of Henri Matisse, and the spatial harmony of Georges Braque. Immersed in the Parisian avant-garde, Manessier was influenced by and exchanged ideas with modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray. Early in his career he experimented with Cubism and Fauvism, but a transformative spiritual experience during a retreat at the Trappist Abbey of Saint-Paul de Wisques in 1943 led him to abandon figurative art in favor of luminous abstraction, using color, rhythm, and form to convey transcendence and inner light. His paintings—mosaics of glowing hues and interwoven organic shapes—evoke the meditative cadence of nature, music, and faith, while his architectural training gave his compositions a balance between structure and emotion. As one of the foremost figures of Lyrical Abstraction, Manessier sought to restore spirituality and humanity to modern painting, creating works that critics described as “visual music.” His exploration of light extended into stained glass, where he became a pioneer of modern sacred art, designing radiant windows for churches and cathedrals across France that transformed pure abstraction into divine illumination. In 1962, he represented France at the Venice Biennale and was awarded the Grand Prize for Painting, solidifying his international reputation. His influence extended to artists such as Pierre Soulages, Hans Hartung, Jean Bazaine, Ellsworth Kelly, and Mark Rothko, who shared his belief in color as a vessel of emotion and transcendence. Today, Manessier’s paintings and stained-glass works are held in major museums including the Centre Pompidou, the Tate Modern, and MoMA, and remain prized for their harmony, spirituality, and radiant power. His highest auction record was achieved by Psaume de la lumiere (1952), which sold for $305,017 at Sotheby’s, Paris, on June 5, 2013, affirming Alfred Manessier’s legacy as one of the great masters of color, light, and spiritual abstraction in 20th-century art.
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