Henri Bellery-Desfontaines, L'Énigme (The Enigma), 1898, Original Lithograph

Henri Bellery-Desfontaines (1867 - 1909)

L'Énigme (The Enigma)

Original Lithograph from the glorious portfolio "L'Estampe Moderne", special issue (July 1898)

On wove paper

Year: 1898

Size (sheet): 305 x 405 mm
Size (image): 256 x 382 mm

Signed oin the plate "H Bellery-Desfontaines" and dated 1898, lower left

Blind stamp of the publisher, bottom right, out of the image

Great condition: minor signs of age and handling
Great colours
Full margins (not cropped, not trimmed)

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About the Collection (L'Estampe Moderne)

L'Estampe Moderne appeared in 1897-1899 as a series of 24 monthly fascicles, each containing 4 original lithographs, printed by Parisian Imprimerie Champenois. Many accomplished European Art Nouveau painters contributed works to this publication, which contained only Original prints invented and produced especially for this collection. The publication was edited by Charles Masson and H. Piazza. Each issue came in a paper cover bearing an original lithograph by Alphonse Mucha.
Each lithograph was accompanied by a tissue containing the details (title of the artwork, name of the artist, etc.) and a short text by a well-known author who inspired the artist (this one being a wonderful poem from La saga de Wiking / The Viking Saga).

This original lithograph, perhaps the most famous and beautiful among the symbolist works by the artist, was a special issue ONLY for subscribers.
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About the artist

Henri Bellery-Desfontaines (1867 – 1909) was a French Art Nouveau painter, decorator and illustrator renowned for his posters, lithographs, tapestries, furniture, bank note designs, typography, and other works of decorative arts.
Born in Paris, he is thought to have begun his artistic training under the tutelage of Luc-Olivier Merson (1846–1920).
In the 1900s, Paris was the perfect place for a group of young artists influenced by artistic currents like neogothic style or symbolism. Most of them began as painters, switching later to decorative arts attracted by the ideas of ever-present art and total art. Henri Bellery-Desfontaines was a member of this group. He started as a painter in atelier of Pierre-Victor Galland, who entrusted him with the decorative motifs that would frame drawings of the Panthéon de Paris. Maillot, Bonnat, Humbert and notably Jean-Paul Laurens convinced him to join the atelier at the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, and with him, decorated the Hôtel de Ville de Paris.
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from the text on the tissue paper, from the Viking Saga:

Dans les yeux aimants interroge ta destinée,
Car c'est là que dort l'énigme de ta vie.
Jette la sonde au fond de ce lac bleu tranquille,
Aie le courage d'y plonger ton regard tremblant ;
Les rares joies qui soient réservées à l'homme ici-bas,
Le cortège de douleurs qui doit l'accompagner,
Bonheur, larmes, amour et mort, tout est là,
Au fond des yeux, des yeux clairs aimants et aimés.

English translation:

In loving eyes question your destiny,
For it is there that sleeps the enigma of your life.
Throw the probe to the bottom of this calm blue lake,
Have the courage to plunge your trembling gaze there;
The rare joys that are reserved for man here below,
The procession of pains that must accompany it,
Happiness, tears, love and death, everything is there,
In the depths of eyes, clear loving and loved eyes.
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Important:

. The listing is for the original print, in the above mentioned very good / excellent condition.
. The original tissue paper will be given as is to the buyer as a gift for confirming the authenticity.