Oscar Dominguez
Dominguez. Patrick Waldberg, Preface
Paris. Galerie Rive Gauche. 1957
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The scarce catalogue for Oscar Dominguez' final exhibition with two décalcomanies.
From the édition de tête limited to 25 numbered copies on papier d'Arches signed by Dominguez and Waldberg in blue ink; this copy is without the original drawing called for on the justification but includes instead two décalcomanies by Dominguez.
The exhibition, Dominguez' last, was held at the Galerie Rive Gauche, 44 Rue de Fleurus, in Paris, was from November 12th - December 2nd, 1957. Dominguez was to commit suicide on December 31st of the same year in his Montparnasse studio. Waldberg is effusive in his praise of Dominguez, whom he had known for twenty years, ending his Préface thus: 'Par les milles facettes de son esprit inventif, fantasque, romantique et rieur, il nous tient en haleine. Je ne me lasse pas, quant à moi, de ses 'Taureaux danseurs', de ses 'Lacs noirs', de ses 'Oiseaux des Profondeurs', de ses 'Horizons', de ses 'Aubes' et de cette 'Préhistoire de la Roue', si mystérieusement végétale et solaire. Caïman sentimental, archéologue de l'inconscient, grand officiant de taorobole, Oscar, 'hombre, amigo mio, que te vaya bien?''.
The two décalcomanies by Dominguez both feature the same foreground image, what appears to be a stag taken from a cave painting, but are worked extensively in different manners:
- 'Cerf blessé' on cream card (85 x 116 mm) with title and attribution verso in pencil.
- 'Cerf' on cream card (92 x 120 mm) with title and attribution verso in pencil.
The décalcomanie (from the French décalquer) process was used extensively by Dominguezfrom the mid-1930s. The process involves the use of ink or gouache spread on a sheet of glass or card which is then blotted to form an abstract pattern on a further sheet. Dominguez' refinements enabled him to use a recognisable image - in this case the 'cerf' (deer) - as the basis for the 'print' which is then altered profoundly in transposition to make a new image albeit one based clearly on the original.
Also included, loosely inserted, is a postcard to Dominguez, addressed to his studio in the rue Campagne Première, from Juliette and Man Ray dated '22.12. / 56'; produced as a photograph, the card bears the scratched text '1957 / MEILLEURS SOUHAITS / JULIETTE et / MAN RAY'; the card presents a profound irony as 1957 was the year that Dominguez committed suicide, slitting his wrists on December 31st.
We can trace no copies of the édition de tête of this catalogue at auction; the single institutional copy we can trace, at MOMA, appears to be an ordinary copy or lacks the original drawing.
From the édition de tête limited to 25 numbered copies on papier d'Arches signed by Dominguez and Waldberg in blue ink; this copy is without the original drawing called for on the justification but includes instead two décalcomanies by Dominguez.
The exhibition, Dominguez' last, was held at the Galerie Rive Gauche, 44 Rue de Fleurus, in Paris, was from November 12th - December 2nd, 1957. Dominguez was to commit suicide on December 31st of the same year in his Montparnasse studio. Waldberg is effusive in his praise of Dominguez, whom he had known for twenty years, ending his Préface thus: 'Par les milles facettes de son esprit inventif, fantasque, romantique et rieur, il nous tient en haleine. Je ne me lasse pas, quant à moi, de ses 'Taureaux danseurs', de ses 'Lacs noirs', de ses 'Oiseaux des Profondeurs', de ses 'Horizons', de ses 'Aubes' et de cette 'Préhistoire de la Roue', si mystérieusement végétale et solaire. Caïman sentimental, archéologue de l'inconscient, grand officiant de taorobole, Oscar, 'hombre, amigo mio, que te vaya bien?''.
The two décalcomanies by Dominguez both feature the same foreground image, what appears to be a stag taken from a cave painting, but are worked extensively in different manners:
- 'Cerf blessé' on cream card (85 x 116 mm) with title and attribution verso in pencil.
- 'Cerf' on cream card (92 x 120 mm) with title and attribution verso in pencil.
The décalcomanie (from the French décalquer) process was used extensively by Dominguezfrom the mid-1930s. The process involves the use of ink or gouache spread on a sheet of glass or card which is then blotted to form an abstract pattern on a further sheet. Dominguez' refinements enabled him to use a recognisable image - in this case the 'cerf' (deer) - as the basis for the 'print' which is then altered profoundly in transposition to make a new image albeit one based clearly on the original.
Also included, loosely inserted, is a postcard to Dominguez, addressed to his studio in the rue Campagne Première, from Juliette and Man Ray dated '22.12. / 56'; produced as a photograph, the card bears the scratched text '1957 / MEILLEURS SOUHAITS / JULIETTE et / MAN RAY'; the card presents a profound irony as 1957 was the year that Dominguez committed suicide, slitting his wrists on December 31st.
We can trace no copies of the édition de tête of this catalogue at auction; the single institutional copy we can trace, at MOMA, appears to be an ordinary copy or lacks the original drawing.
[3 stapled bifolia: 6 unnumbered leaves]. 12mo. (180 x 126 mm). Leaf with exhibition details, 2 leaves with Patrick Waldberg's preface, leaf with tipped-in colour illustration ('Le Clown'), leaf with catalogue recto, leaf with justification recto; first leaf recto and final leaf verso with browning from wrappers.. Original publisher's grey stapled printed wrappers with titles to front cover in black.
#46475
