"Pour un Projet Sensationnel"

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(1904)

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"Pour un Projet Sensationnel" 1904 (recently ascribed to 1907), drypoint, signed and numbered 5/10 in pencil by the artist Jacques Villon (1875-1963), a superb impression with rich burr and strong plate tone, 15 3/4" x 11 7/8", [Ginestet/Pouillon 106].

Jacques Villon (Gaston Duchamp), brother of Marcel Duchamp and Raymond Duchamp-Villon, the sculptor, was born in Damville in 1875.  He was at first influenced by Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec, but then caught up in the Fauvist movement, Cubism and Abstraction. Between 1899 and 1910 Villon made 175 etchings, drypoints and aquatints of which many were under the direction of Eugene Deliatre, who had helped Mary Cassat with the difficult technique.  Villon was a sensitive portraitist who could capture many states of emotion.  He often used his younger sisters as models, as he does here in "Pour un Projet Sensationnel" on the beach at Treport. At left is Yvonne, with hand behind her back, whispering into the ear of her older sister Suzanne at the right, hence the alternative title "Le Secret". Suzanne stands leaning on a shovel, which suggests the "Projet Sensationnel" of the title may be referring to the building of a sand castle.

In a recent article in The Journal of The Print World, Scot A. Campbell brings to light the discovery of "Enfants au bord de mer", the first version of Villon's "Pour un Projet Sensationnel". Campbell states that "Enfants au bord de mer" is clearly dated "07" in the plate, a fact unknown to Ginestet and Pouillon. Campbell also points out that the style of "Pour un Projet Sensationnel" fits in much more logically with this later date. "The slashing drypoint lines and angular treatment of the background figures as well as the beach below are more typical of the works of 1907, and not at all with the works of 1904, which still had a decidedly bell-epoque treatment".  Campbell asserts, "1907 was somewhat of a transitional year for Villon, still with bell-epoque subjects, but beginning to show a new treatment that would eventually lead to Cubism".

"Pour un Projet Sensationnel" in a 23" x  27 1/2" two inch wide swan profile frame with raven black groves rubbed in a soft dusty brown.   The natural colored linen outer mat has been bonded to an 8-ply socin rag inner mate. Both mats are acid and lignin free and are protected with Acrylite-AR OP3 (UV) by CYRO … SOLD