Les Grands Oiseaux by Johnny Friedlaender

This is an etching and aquatint by the groundbreaking French printmaker, Johnny Friedlaender. It is titled Les Grands Oiseaux (although he used this title for several other works as well) and was created in 1950. It is an unusual composition with elements stacked vertically. It almost appears that there are two or maybe three birds standing on each other. However, they are quite bizarre in shape and are in a setting that is other worldly. Several other structures are also present including several circles that could represent suns, moons, or planets, lending a whimsical, surreal quality to the work. The patterns and shapes are unmistakably Friedlaender although the piece is monochromatic which is a bit unusual. There is a hint of yellow in the background. 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 framed and matted with a framed size of 21.5 x 27.25 inches. The plate mark is 12.5 x 17.75 inches. It is signed in pencil lower right, Friedlaender. No edition is given although it is initialed E. A. lower left. There is a blind stamp lower center and a mark in the plate lower left. It is in excellent condition. It is a crisp impression with no fading, foxing, toning, or staining. The paper is without tears or loss. The framing materials appear to be archival. It has not been examined outside the frame. 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.