Georges Rouault

The extremely rare monotype printed in colours, 1910, signed and dated in ink, inscribed épreuve unique, also with scratched initials and date in the plate, one of only a few surviving monotypes by the artist (see catalogue note), on heavy wove paper

Gift from the artist to Marcel Beronneau (painter trained in Gustave Moreau's studio); From direct descent to the present owner

With wide margins, in good condition apart from overall slight paper discoloration and foxing, mostly visible in the margins, an horizontal strip of skinning across upper margin (measuring approx. 203mm across and 25mm wide), soft handling creases at tips of sheet, and a soft vertical crease at lower edge of sheet just extending into image, unframed.
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Femme au café is an exceedingly rare example of Rouault's limited and early experimentation with monotype.  Rouault began printmaking in 1910, producing two drypoints, a colour lithograph, and several monotypes.  According to the Paris-Journal of 10 December 1911, he exhibited eleven monotype prints at the Galerie Druet the following year.  Today only four of these monotypes are known to survive (two of which remain in private European collections and another in the Museum of Modern Art, New York).

Authenticated by La Fondation Georges Rouault, Paris on 9 December 2009 and to be included in a forthcoming edition of the artist's catalogue raisonné.