Deux Oiseaux III by Johnny Friedlaender

This is an etching and aquatint by the groundbreaking French printmaker, Johnny Friedlaender. It is titled Deux Oiseaux III and was created in 1956. As expected there are two birds facing each other at the top of the image. However, they are quite bizarre in shape and are in a setting that is other worldly. They are perched on a globe or heart with black and yellow stripes. Two solid dark forms are present in each corner. They resemble hills in silhouette so define a horizon of sorts work this bizarro landscape. Several other structures are also present lending a whimsical, surreal quality to the work. The patterns, shapes, and colors are unmistakably Friedlaender. Most of his work is purely abstract, but birds are a recurring theme when he does touch realism. A really fun piece. The piece is unframed and printed on an untrimmed sheet 10.5 x 13.25 inches. The plate mark is 5 x 6.625 inches. It is signed in pencil lower right, Friedlaender. No edition or title is given, but this is Schmücking 162 and was issued in an edition of 300 according to his catalogue raisonne. It is in very good condition. It is a crisp impression with vivid colors and no fading, foxing, or staining. There is very slight toning of the sheet. The paper is without tears or loss. A wonderful piece by this iconic artist.

Johnny Friedlaender (1912-1992) was born in Germany and did his studies in Breslau with Otto Mueller. Prior to WWII he exhibited extensively throughout Europe including a very successful exhibit in The Hague. He moved to France in 1937 to escape Nazi persecution, but ultimately spent 4 years in concentration camps before being liberated in 1944. He ultimately became a French citizen. Friedlaender is credited with taking the medium of aquatint etching to new heights. He effectively used this technique to create his abstract visions. They are characterized by striking colors and dramatic designs. He ultimately exhibited all over the world. In 1957 he was the recipient of the Biennial Kakamura Prize in Tokyo and the Lovis Corinth prize in 1981. He became an influential teacher accepting a teaching post awarded by UNESCO at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro and ultimately teaching out of his studio in Paris. A major retrospective of his work was held at the Musee dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris in 1978. In 1987 the Kunsthalle Bremen mounted a retrospective of his work on the occasion of his seventy-fifth birthday. In 1992 Johnny Friedlaender died in Paris, where he had spent most of his adult life. His work is held by major museums around the world.