Sonia Delaunay, large silkscreen print on canvas published by Artcurial

A Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print published by Artcurial

This Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print extends onto canvas the chromatic explorations that made the artist (1885-1979) one of the major figures of 20th-century abstraction. With her husband Robert Delaunay, Sonia Delaunay developed Simultaneous Art, a style of painting based on contrasts of pure colors and the rhythm of forms. Published by Artcurial around 1980, continuing the publishing venture launched by the auction house in 1975 to make modern art accessible, this Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print revisits the vocabulary of arcs and concentric discs so dear to the artist.

A composition punctuated by color

The composition unfolds as a succession of concentric yellow, red, and blue arcs, enclosing a core of black and white discs that spiral into one another. The simultaneous contrast of yellow and black, red and blue, creates the optical vibration characteristic of the artist's work. Measuring nearly 1,30 meters on each side, this Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print possesses a rare wall-ready presence for a published work.

Technical characteristics of screen printing

Format and medium

Printed on canvas and mounted on a stretcher frame, this large Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print measures 126 cm (H) 128 cm (W) 2 cm (D) (49.6 in) 50.4 cm (H) 0.8 in (W) 0.8 in (D). The canvas support, less common than paper in the artist's printed work, gives the piece a materiality akin to painting and explains its excellent durability.

Print, signature and justification

This is an artist's proof, outside the numbered edition of 900. The composition bears the silkscreened signature "Sonia Delaunay" in the lower right corner, as well as the justification "/900" and the printed stamp "ARTCURIAL" at the bottom. A posthumous edition reproducing a composition by the artist, this Sonia Delaunay silkscreen print offers an accessible entry point into the world of simultaneous art, where unique gouaches and paintings remain reserved for a select few.

Conservation state

The artwork is in very good condition. The colors retain their freshness and intensity, without any noticeable alteration. The canvas is sound and well stretched on its frame. A piece ready to hang, which will find its place naturally in a contemporary interior as well as in the home of a lover of geometric abstraction.

The large silkscreen prints on canvas published by Artcurial in the last years of Sonia Delaunay's life remain rare on the secondary market, especially in this near-square format and in such pristine condition. The canvas support, the large size, and the silkscreened signature make it a striking decorative object, ideal for those who wish to live with a work by Delaunay without acquiring one of her unique pieces. A beautiful way to enter the world of Orphism with a grand entrance.

The team The Auctionlab