Composition 1975. by Sonia Delaunay, 1885-1979

Sonia Delaunay, 1885-1979
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Composition 1975.

Original etching and aquatint in colours, with extensive hand-painting especially in the blacks. 1975. Signed in pencil. Inscribed in pencil by Delaunay as 'bon à tirer apres' (the final 'guide proof' for the edition) and dated 24/3/75. Proof before the edition of 100. Printed at the studio of Lacourière, Paris 1975. Unique in this form.

Superb proof hand-retouched impression with absolutely brilliant colours. On pale cream wove Rives type paper. Generally excellent condition, especially for such a 'BaT' proof. One trace of old tape; with ink traces in the margins from the hand-painting. Full margins: Sheet 35 5/8 x 24 7/8ins (905x632mm). Plate: 27 1/4 x 19 1/2ins. (693x497mm)

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One of the finest large scale colour etchings from the last period of Delaunay's work in the unique first pre-edition 'guide proof' - 'bon à tirer' - impression, annotated by Delaunay and extensively worked on by hand with painted inks.

Sonia Delaunay, and her husband Robert, started around 1910 to develop their ideas about the use of colour in abstract patterns to create 'visual constructions'. They called their concept 'simultanéisme' - 'simultaneous contrasts'. The idea of trying to represent movement through a number of semi-superimposed images had developed through Cubism, and the work of the Futurists. The Delaunays wanted to extend this into abstract imagery and they used the concept, taken from early research into optics, that juxtaposed areas of colour have differing qualities of light reflection and absorption, and thus create the visual effect of differing planes.

Sonia Delaunay continued to develop these themes after the death of Robert in 1941. In the post-war years she began to create some of her most exciting imagery. At the same period she also became particularly interested in graphic media, as the inks of lithography and etching allowed her to create a special intensity of colour. In her colour etchings, of which the composition above is one of the finest from the last period, she also made very effective use of textural changes to create a further counterpoint to the colour.