L'enfance d'Ubu, plate 1015 by Joan Miro, 1975

Artist: Joan Miro

Medium: Original Lithograph, signed and annotated H.C. (hors commerce), 1975

Dimensions: 12.8 x 19.9 in, 32.5 x 50.5 cm 

Arched Paper - Perfect Condition A+

L'enfance d'Ubu is one of three illustrated books inspired by the French playwright Alfred Jarry's (1873-1907) plays Ubu Roi, Ubu Cocu, and Ubu Enchaîné. Seen as precursors to the Surrealist theater of the 1920's and 1930's, these absurd and burlesque texts moved Miró to create L'enfance d'Ubu. This album of color lithographs contains many double portraits of curious creatures. Sticklike four-legged beasts crawl across the page to greet exuberant, honeybee figures standing upright. As the title attests, this work is a song of childhood, of secret worlds populated by fantastic beings and alive with color.

Created in 1975, this work from an album of 24 lithographs under the same title. Hand-signed by Joan Miró (Barcelona, 1893 - Palma, 1983) in pencil in the lower right margin, the piece is numbered 31/120 in pencil at the lower left. A total edition of 140 copies printed on Arches wove or japan nacré exists, comprising a signed and numbered edition of 120, to which our print belongs, and an additional 20 hors commerce copies, numbered from I to XX. Printed by Mourlot, Paris, the album was published by Tériade Editeur, also in Paris.