Three Figures In A Bar
Year: 1920
Description: In a modern woodcut the gouge line is generally well pronounced. Lines are raw and edges are defined. In this medium it's hard to not strike a modern aesthetic. Working with gouges, the artist is compelled to pare the subject to its essence. The motif is a vehicle through which we can appreciate man-made artistry.
Stylistically this is a modern wood cut yet so is the motif. Prior to the 1920s, men tended to drink with men in public while women tended to children at home. This pattern began to change after the First World War. In this piece, Hermann-Paul not only cuts a modern design but he completes it with a modern woman.
Provenance: Private Dealer
Tercio de varas
Year: 1921
Description: A Spanish matador in the first stage of the fight, tercio de varas or the lancing third. Here he observes the bull's behavior in a series of ritualized passes. This print is thought to be part of a series on Spanish matadors and dated accordingly.
Provenance: L'Estampe Originale
Matador
Year: 1921
Description: Woodcut printed in black on wove paper. Here the Spanish matador is poised to strike with a sword. In the Camargue, bulls were never killed for sport. Instead, runners attempted to remove ribbons from their horns.
Provenance: From the series Gardians et taureaux
Le Gardian
Year: 1921
Description: Woodcut printed in black on wove paper. Here a lone Gardian drives Camargue bulls.
Provenance: From the series Gardians et taureaux
From The Genesis
Year: 1921
Description: In 1921, Hermann-Paul produced a limited edition of the first book of the Hebrew Bible. It was richly illustrated with numerous wood engravings like the one seen here. Its multi-colored text was printed red for Latin and black for French. Very good copies of this book have been valued at around $1000.00.
Provenance: Leon Pichon (resold by Kline Bookseller)
Quatre Frimousses #1
Year: 1926
Description: The first from a series of four wood cuts commissioned by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the third from his house to lead the famous line. Limited to an edition of 99 and printed on fine wove paper.
With this series, Hermann-Paul demonstrates his versatility. Deco is not an aesthetic which generally defines his work. His cuts from this period were often textured by rough gouge marks. Here the lines are thin and smooth. The ladies are smart and elegant. Hermann-Paul was a middle aged man when the Jazz Age hit Paris but it must have been impossible to escape its allure.
Provenance: Leon Pinchon
Quatre Frimousses #2
Year: 1926
Description: The second from a series of four wood cuts commissioned by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the third from his house to lead the famous line. Limited to an edition of 99 and printed on fine wove paper.
I have not had a chance to examine this series first hand. The auction house described them as wood cuts and for they purpose of this catelog they are listed as such. But the varied textures we see in the background hint at something more than wood.
Provenance: Leon Pinchon
Quatre Frimousses #3
Year: 1926
Description: The third from a series of four wood cuts commissioned by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the third from his house to lead the famous line. Limited to an edition of 99 and printed on fine wove paper.
From the first to the third print, H-P's red becomes more pronounced and his colors become bolder. The series runs from whimsical to angry.
Provenance: Leon Pinchon
Quatre Frimousses #4
Year: 1926
Description: The fourth from a series of four wood cuts commissioned by Gaston-Louis Vuitton, the third from his house to lead the famous line. Limited to an edition of 99 and printed on fine wove paper.
This final print is very delicate. It combines styles, colors and textures from the first three prints to provide a satisfying closure to the series.
Provenance: Leon Pinchon
Carmen
Year: 1927
Description: In 1926, Hermann-Paul visited Spain to research several projects. He returned to Paris with a sketchbook filled with ideas. From a 1926 interview with Enrique Estévez-Ortega, we know this piece was based on that research. Carmen was a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. She was brought to life by Georges Bizet in one of his fine operas.
Provenance: L'Estampe Originale
