Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art Auction
Lot 56:
Paul Klee, Sommeil d’hiver, Verve Pochoir Stencil, 1938
Description
A vibrant pochoir by Paul Klee titled Sommeil d’hiver (Winter), published in 1938 in the celebrated Parisian art revue Verve. Executed using hand-applied stencil color under the direction of Teriade, the work exemplifies Klee’s poetic abstraction and refined chromatic sensitivity of the late 1930s.
Details
Artist: Paul Klee (1879-1940)
Title: Sommeil d’hiver (Winter)
Date: 1938
Medium: Pochoir (stencil) over collotype on wove paper
Publication: From Verve, Vol. I, No. 3
Publisher: Tériade, Paris
Printing: Hand-stenciled by master colorists under the supervision of the publisher
Sheet Size: Approx. 9 × 13.75 in.
Framing: Presented with a wide mat and gilt moulding
Provenance: From the original 1938 Verve edition (information label on verso)
Condition: Clean and bright with no foxing observed. Frame in excellent condition.
Catalogue Note
Founded and edited by Teriade, Verve is regarded as one of the most important art publications of the 20th century, notable for its collaboration with leading modern artists and its exceptional production quality. Rather than conventional reproductions, Verve employed pochoir and other labor-intensive printing techniques to preserve the visual integrity of the original works.
In Sommeil d’hiver, Paul Klee’s lyrical abstraction is expressed through delicately balanced forms and nuanced color relationships, evoking stillness, introspection, and the quiet rhythms of winter. The use of hand-applied stencil color allows for a velvety richness and subtle texture that closely mirrors Klee’s painterly surfaces. Works from Verve occupy a unique position between original works on paper and fine art multiples and are highly sought after for their historical significance, visual quality, and direct association with the artist’s studio practice during the final years of Klee’s career.
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