This exquisite lithograph after Jean-Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940), titled L'Avenue (The Avenue), from L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard (The Graphic Work of Vuillard), originates from the 1948 edition published by Editions du livre, Monte-Carlo, under the direction of Andre Sauret, Editeur, Monte-Carlo, and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, November 30, 1948. L'Avenue reflects Vuillard's refined sensitivity to atmosphere and surface, translating his intimate and decorative vision into a print that embodies the subtle harmony and structural lyricism central to his oeuvre.
Executed as a lithograph on grand velin Renage paper, this work measures 9.5 x 12.375 inches (24.13 x 31.43 cm). Unsigned and unnumbered as issued. The edition exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of Mourlot Freres, Paris, and the exceptional production standards of Editions du livre, Monte-Carlo.
Artwork Details:
Artist: After Jean-Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940)
Title: L'Avenue (The Avenue), from L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard (The Graphic Work of Vuillard)
Medium: Lithograph on grand velin Renage paper
Dimensions: 9.5 x 12.375 inches (24.13 x 31.43 cm)
Inscription: Unsigned and unnumbered as issued
Date: 1948
Publisher: Editions du livre, Monte-Carlo, under the direction of Andre Sauret, Editeur, Monte-Carlo
Printer: Mourlot Freres, Paris
Condition: Well preserved, consistent with age and medium
Provenance: From L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard (The Graphic Work of Vuillard), published by Editions du livre, Monte-Carlo, 1948
Notes:
Excerpted from the album (translated from French), This album, directed by Andre Sauret, was printed in MMD examples on grand velin Renage on the presses of Georges Duval and L’Imprimerie Union. The color lithographies were put on stones and drawn in the ateliers of Mourlot Freres in Paris. Completed printing on November 30, 1948.
About the Publication:
L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard (The Graphic Work of Vuillard), published in Monte-Carlo in 1948 under the direction of Andre Sauret and printed by Mourlot Freres, Paris, stands among the most distinguished postwar French art albums dedicated to documenting the graphic achievements of major modern masters. Conceived within the refined tradition of the twentieth century livre dartiste, the publication reflects Sauret's commitment to scholarly presentation, typographic elegance, and exceptional printmaking standards. Printed on grand velin Renage paper and executed in collaboration with the celebrated Mourlot atelier, the album unites technical precision with aesthetic sensitivity, presenting Vuillard's graphic work within a context of intellectual rigor and material excellence. The participation of Mourlot Freres, renowned for their collaborations with Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Braque, and Leger, situates the album within the highest lineage of modern lithographic production. Editions du livre, Monte-Carlo, further reinforced its reputation through meticulous design and coordinated craftsmanship between printers, typographers, and publishers. As a publication, L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard represents a landmark example of mid century European art publishing, preserving the vitality of modern printmaking while embodying the collaborative artistry that defined the era's most significant illustrated albums.
About the Artist:
Jean-Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940) was a French painter, printmaker, and decorative artist celebrated for his richly patterned interiors, nuanced color harmonies, and poetic depictions of domestic life. A founding member of Les Nabis, the influential Post-Impressionist group that bridged Impressionism, Symbolism, and early Modernism, Vuillard developed a distinctive visual language that merged observation with abstraction and intimacy with design. His compositions often portraying family, friends, and women in patterned rooms transformed everyday interiors into expressive, dreamlike spaces where figure and background blend into a tapestry of light, texture, and emotion. Influenced by Paul Gauguin's color symbolism, Claude Monet's atmospheric light, Edgar Degas's structural rigor, and Japanese ukiyo-e masters such as Hokusai and Hiroshige, Vuillard synthesized these traditions into a uniquely modern aesthetic. He was closely associated with contemporaries Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Paul Serusier, Felix Vallotton, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose innovations helped redefine modern French painting. Vuillard's art also stands in enduring dialogue with later modern masters Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky, Marcel Duchamp, and Man Ray, each of whom shared his commitment to exploring the emotional and formal possibilities of color and composition. His works are housed in major museum collections worldwide, including the Musee d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, where they continue to captivate collectors and scholars for their intimacy and sophistication. The highest price ever paid for a Jean-Edouard Vuillard artwork is approximately 17.7 million USD, achieved in 2005 at Christie's New York for Les Jardins Publics (1894).
Jean-Edouard Vuillard L'Avenue The Avenue L'oeuvre grave de Vuillard The Graphic Work of Vuillard Editions du livre Monte-Carlo 1948 lithograph Modernism.
