This exquisite lithograph by Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015), titled Lotus, originates from the historic 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght). Published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, under the direction of Aime Maeght, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, this composition exemplifies Kelly’s disciplined approach to color, geometry, and visual precision. In Lotus, Kelly explores the interaction of pure chromatic forms and spatial rhythm, achieving harmony through reduction and exactitude that reflect his mastery of minimalist abstraction.
Executed on velin paper, this lithograph measures 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm). As issued, it is unsigned and unnumbered, consistent with the authorized publication format. The edition preserves Kelly’s refined sense of proportion and color balance, affirming his profound influence on postwar abstraction and modernist design.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015)
Title: Lotus, from Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, Hommage a Aime et Marguerite Maeght (Tribute to Aime and Marguerite Maeght), 1982
Medium: Lithograph on velin paper
Dimensions: 15 x 11 inches (38.1 x 27.9 cm)
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued
Date: 1982
Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Catalogue Raisonne Reference: Axsom, Richard H., and Ellsworth Kelly, The Prints of Ellsworth Kelly: A Catalogue Raisonne, Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, 2012, illustration I-c.
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the 1982 folio Derriere le Miroir, No. 250, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris
Notes:
Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), This special issue of Derriere le Miroir was designed and defined by Aime Maeght in the fall of 1980. He envisioned its publication as a celebration with which artists and writers published since 1946 were to be associated. He also chose Francois Chapon, president of the Reverdy Committee, to write the presentation. This Derriere le Miroir number 250 took the form, after its disappearance on September 5, 1981, of a tribute to Aime Maeght and his wife Marguerite Maeght who died four years earlier. 24 artists agreed to create an original graphic work for this issue which includes the general table of all issues as well as excerpts from texts by 32 writers. Finished printing on June 2, 1982 on the presses of the l'Imprimerie moderne du Lion in Paris. CL examples were printed on velin d'Arches, numbered from I to CL, and some non-commercial examples constituting the original edition.
About the Publication:
Derriere le Miroir (translated as "Behind the Mirror") was an iconic French art periodical published from 1946 to 1982 by Maeght Editeur, one of the most influential art publishers of the 20th century. Founded by Aime Maeght in Paris, the publication was conceived as a visual and literary collaboration between leading modern artists, poets, and critics. Each issue functioned as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in itself—featuring original lithographs printed directly from the artists' stones or plates, alongside essays, poems, and critical commentary. Over the course of 36 years, Derriere le Miroir produced more than 250 issues and showcased an extraordinary roster of artists including Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, Pierre Bonnard, Alberto Giacometti, Eduardo Chillida, Francis Bacon, Paul Rebeyrolle, and Ellsworth Kelly. Printed in the ateliers of Mourlot and Arte, the periodical set new standards for quality in color lithography, combining fine art printing with elegant typography and poetic text. Beyond its visual brilliance, Derriere le Miroir also became a cultural chronicle of postwar European modernism. Each issue coincided with exhibitions held at Galerie Maeght, providing a collectible and widely accessible record of groundbreaking shows. Its integration of image, text, and philosophy created a dialogue between art and literature that elevated the modern art book to new aesthetic heights. Today, Derriere le Miroir remains one of the most sought-after and historically significant art publications, prized by collectors and scholars alike for its craftsmanship, influence, and its role in defining the visual language of 20th-century modernism. The Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul-de-Vence continues to honor this legacy through exhibitions and archival preservation of the series, affirming Derriere le Miroir's enduring place in the history of modern art and fine art publishing.
About the Artist:
Ellsworth Kelly (1923–2015) was an American painter, sculptor, and printmaker whose pioneering approach to abstraction established him as one of the most influential figures in postwar modern art. Born in Newburgh, New York, Kelly studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where exposure to the works of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, and Alexander Calder deeply shaped his vision. Drawing from these modernist innovators, Kelly stripped art to its purest visual elements—color, form, and line—creating bold monochromatic panels and geometric compositions that redefined visual harmony and spatial rhythm. His minimalist clarity and refined aesthetic influenced generations of artists, including Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, and Banksy, each expanding upon his legacy of conceptual rigor and color precision. Celebrated worldwide, Kelly’s works reside in major museums including MoMA, the Tate, the Whitney, and the Centre Pompidou. The highest price ever paid for an Ellsworth Kelly artwork is approximately $9.8 million USD, achieved in 2019 at Christie's New York for Red Curve VII (1982).
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