This exquisite lithograph by Raoul Ubac (1910–1985), titled Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 74-76, originates from the 1955 edition published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1955. This powerful composition embodies Ubac’s fascination with material texture, abstract structure, and the interplay between light and form, blending organic rhythm with modernist experimentation. The result is a poetic synthesis of gesture and matter that reflects the intellectual and aesthetic spirit of postwar Paris.
Executed as a lithograph on velin paper, this work measures 15 x 22 inches, with centerfold as issued. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the superb craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris.
Artwork Details:
Artist: Raoul Ubac (1910–1985)
Title: Sans titre (Untitled), from the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 74-76
Medium: Lithograph on velin paper
Dimensions: 15 x 22 inches (38.1 x 55.9 cm), with centerfold as issued
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1955
Publisher: Maeght Editeur, Paris
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From the folio Derriere le miroir, No. 74-76, published by Maeght Editeur, Paris; printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, 1955
About the Publication:
Derriere le miroir (Behind the Mirror) was one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, created and published by Maeght Editeur in Paris from 1946 to 1982. Founded by the visionary art dealer and publisher Aime Maeght, the series served as both an exhibition catalogue and a work of art in its own right, uniting original lithographs by leading modern and contemporary artists with critical essays, poetry, and design of the highest quality. Printed by master lithographers such as Mourlot Freres and Arte, Derriere le miroir became synonymous with the artistic vanguard of postwar Europe. Each issue was devoted to a single artist or theme and published to accompany exhibitions at the Galerie Maeght in Paris, featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Fernand Leger, and Alberto Giacometti, among others. The publication reflected Maeght’s belief that art should be both accessible and elevated—an ideal realized through its luxurious production values, meticulous printing, and collaboration with the greatest creative minds of its time.
About the Artist:
Raoul Ubac (1910–1985) was a Belgian-born French painter, sculptor, photographer, and engraver whose innovative experimentation with texture, surface, and form made him a key figure in postwar European modernism. Initially associated with the Surrealist movement in Paris during the 1930s, Ubac explored photography and engraving before developing a distinctive painterly style marked by tactile reliefs, dynamic abstraction, and a deep sensitivity to material. His compositions often evoke natural and mythological themes, blending spontaneity with rigorous structure. In both his technical innovation and poetic vision, Ubac’s work reflects the legacy of the great modern masters—Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray—artists who, like him, sought to expand the expressive possibilities of form and matter. Over his long career, Ubac exhibited widely and collaborated with major galleries such as Galerie Maeght, earning a place in prestigious museum collections including the Centre Pompidou, the Musee d’Art Moderne de Paris, and the Tate. The highest price ever paid for a Raoul Ubac artwork at auction is approximately 190,000 USD, achieved in 2014 at Sotheby’s Paris for La Bete du Gevaudan (1959).
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