HENRI BELLERY-DESFONTAINES: 1898 AUTO-LITHO - "L'IMPLORATION".

HENRI BELLERY-DESFONTAINES (1867-1909, well-listed French painter, illustrator, designer and lithographer) "L'Imploration" (Begging, Beseeching) Original 1898 auto-lithograph, signed and printed in four colours, published in "The Studio" Magazine in the 1898. Bellery-Defontaines was a key member of the Art Nouveau movement in France. His choice here of a Medieval theme, with the figures shown in profile, demonstrates that he was also influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites. (See my final photo for some details of his early career) Signed in the stone, bottom right. I am also including the inscribed original tissue guard to further validate the item. Very good condition, no problems at all. Importantly, the blindstamp of "The Studio" is situated at lower right, beneath the image and the signature. Main image area measures 7.5 x 5.5 inches, with wide and adequate margins beyond. Published by "The Studio" magazine 1898. Hence "lifetime". The Studio was a lavishly-produced, prestigious quarterly festschrift of art, to which leading and promising artists offered examples of their work. Some were commissions from the editor, too. Whistler, Beardsley, Waterhouse, Vallotton are just a few of the artists whose original graphic work was featured. The publication took lithography to new heights in the 1890s, producing superb quality images. It was a vital showcase for the work of graphic artists, who had very little opportunity to display their work in the mainstream exhibitions which were dominated by oil painters. Printed on offf-white wove art paper. Unframed.