As an unconditional fan of Joan Miró, I propose a stroll through his work. But Miró's work is so vast that I present it in several articles. Here I propose, chronologically, my favourites among his creations between 1930 and 1950.
1932
Joan Miró, "Figure", 1932.
Joan Miró, "La baigneuse", 1932.
1933
Joan Miró, "Composition (Petit univers)", 1933.
1934
Stencil for "Cahier d'Art", the famous surrealist art magazine directed by Chrisitan Zervos, 1934. It was fantastic when magazines, often confidential, included original creations in litho, stencil and even engravings. It was important for artists to rub shoulders with writers, poets and philosophers. Nowadays, artists are quick to choose between a small confidential magazine and an article in a celebrity magazine. They all want to be known immediately. 1936
And people ask me why I am sometimes critical of certain installations by contemporary artists. When you have historical works in mind, your gaze becomes demanding. Joan Miró, "Object", 1936. Yes, Miró and 1936, more than 80 years ago.
1937
This poster expresses Miró's hatred of Franco's movement, which is probably what decided him to make this poster for the 1937 International Exhibition in Paris. "The horrible tragedy we are going through can shake up isolated geniuses and give them increased vigour. Let the powers of regression known as 'fascism' spread, let them plunge us a little further into the dead end of cruelty and incomprehension, and all human dignity is over." Joan Miró, Cahiers d'art, Paris.
1938
A beautiful blue to walk with Miró, "Oiseaux et insectes", 1938.
Totally surrealistic ! "Groupe de Personnages" de Joan Miró, 1938.
Joan Miró, "Personnages", 1938.
1940
Joan Miró, "L'Etoile matinale", 1940, from the "Constellations" series, works grouped under this term at the exhibition at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York in 1945. The series was begun in Varengeville, Normandy, at the end of 1939, when Miró was staying with his friend George Braque. Pierre Matisse, son of the famous painter and sculptor, had one of the best galleries in New York, exhibiting Miró and Giacometti among others.
1941
Miró, "Chiffre et constellations amoureux d'une femme". On closer inspection, it's still very sexual! 1942
Joan Miró, "Femmes devant le soleil", 1942.
Peint le 23 novembre 1942, ces "Personnages dans la nuit" de Miró were able to remain dashing.
1944
Miró, "Femmes et oiseau dans la nuit", 1944.
1947
The simple happiness of a nice Miró.
A plate from "Parler Seul", a fantastic book that brings together a poetic text by Tristan Tzara written during a stay in the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Alban in 1945 and 70 original lithographs by Joan Miró. In 1947, my grandfather, who had just opened his gallery in Paris, had the audacity to publish what would become one of the greatest masterpieces of his Catalan friend. However, at the time Papy did not have great financial means, but his passion for litho undoubtedly carried him. It will take two years to print all 253 copies!
Joan Miró, "Femmes et oiseaux dans la nuit", achevé le 5 mai 1947.
This was the first collaboration between Joan Miró and Aimé Maeght. My grandfather, for this huge exhibition organised with Marcel Duchamp and André Breton in 1947, asked Miró to make an original lithographic poster. The artist never left the Maeght Gallery and published more than 2,000 engravings, lithographs, posters and books with Maeght Editeur.
Joan Miró, 1947, année où il participe à "l'Exposition internationale sur surréalisme" à la galerie Maeght.
1948
Miró, "Acrobate au jardin de nuit", 1948.
When I was a child, I spent hours counting and recounting the dots, the stars. 1949
To dream a little more. Joan Miró, 1949.
1950
Joan Miró, "Personnage et étoiles", 1950. The simplicity of a litho, a few colours, black lines, Miró was really an artist who knew how to sublimate techniques.
You can see the question in Joan Miró's eyes in this photo by Michel Sima, taken in 1950.
Find a thousand anecdotes on the Maeght adventure in my book La Saga Maeght you can receive it with a dedication ici
