"Retour" - Lithographie originale sur Japon - L'Estampe Moderne

- Imprimerie Champenois pour CH. Masson & H. Piazza, Paris (Juin 1897), sujet : 25,5x33cm, planche : 40,8x55cm, une feuille. - "Retour" - Original lithograph on Japan paper - L'Estampe Moderne L'Estampe Moderne | Imprimerie Champenois pour C.H. Masson & H. Piazza | Paris (Juin 1897) | subject: 25.5 x 33 cm | plate: 40.8 x 55 cm | one leaf Rare original color lithograph by Georges de Feure for L'Estampe Moderne, series no. 3, published in July 1897. One of 50 grand luxe proofs printed on Japan paper with wide margins, signed by the artist in the stone, publisher's embossed stamp showing a child in profile to lower margin, numbered stamp of the de luxe printing to verso, upper margin of proof slightly sunned; the print itself preceded by a silk paper guard with the name of the artist, the title of the work and an introduction to the artist as well as a blank guard leaf. A magnificent monthly French publication that appeared between May 1897 and April 1899, L'Estampe moderne comprised unpublished chromolithographs that, unlike those in other magazines like Les Maîtres de l'Affiche and as is stipulated on the guard sheets, were specially made by each artist for the magazine. There are thus 100 prints that appeared in total, covering the major artistic currents of the late 19th Century: Symbolism, Art Nouveau, the Pre-Raphaelites, Orientalists and the Belle époque. Each fascicule of four prints was printed in 2,000 copies and sold for 3.50F, with 100 on Japan paper sold at 10F. Henri Piazza also planned a very luxurious secret printing of 50 copies on Japan paper with wide margins and 50 in black and white on China paper at the considerable price of 30F. This well-sized print is superbly printed in colors on the most prestigious of papers: Japan. Thick, creamy, satin and with a nice sheen, it contributes to making each page a work of art in itself. Its absorptive qualities for ink and its affinity for colors make it the ideal support for these lovely lithographs. The interest of French collectors for artistic posters grew from the beginning of the 1890s. Octave Uzanne invented a term for this growing interest: affichomanie, or poster mania. The poster, originally not rare and posted up in the streets of the capital, thus became a work of art and its ephemeral background became precious and essential for conservation. Piazza decided to extract the poster from its advertising role and to elevate it to a form of art, similarly to luxury illustrated artists' books. He thus put together a prestigious collection of entirely original works by the most fashionable European artists of the age: Georges de Feure, Eugène Grasset, Henri Detouche, Emile Berchmans, Louis Rhead, Gaston de Latenay, Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, Gustave-Max Stevens, Charles Doudelet, Hans Christiansen, Henri Fantin-Latour, Steinlen, Ibels, Engels, Willette, Henri Meunier, Evenepoël, Bellery-Desfontaines, Charles Léandre, etc. A fine copy of this Art Nouveau style poster. [FRENCH VERSION FOLLOWS] Rare lithographie originale, exécutée par Georges de Feure pour L'Estampe Moderne, série numéro 2 publiée en mai 1897. Une des 50 épreuves de grand luxe tirées sur Japon à grandes marges, papier velin contrecollé sur Japon, signature de l'artiste dans la planche, timbre à sec de l'éditeur représentant un profil d'enfant en marge inférieure, tampon numéroté du tirage de luxe au dos ; gravure précédée d'une serpente légendée du nom de l'artiste, du titre et d'un extrait d'oeuvre ; serpente vierge. Magnifique publication mensuelle française éditée entre mai 1897 et avril 1899, L'Estampe moderne se constitue de chromolithographies inédites qui, contrairement à d'autres revues comme Les Maîtres de l'Affiche et tel qu'il est stipulé sur les serpentes, ont été réalisées spécialement par chaque artiste pour la revue. Ce sont ainsi 100 estampes qui paraissent au total, couvrant les courants artistiques majeurs de la fin du XIXème siècle : Symbolisme, Art Nouveau, Préraphaélites,