JOAN MIRÓ | Chez le Roi de Pologne : Ubu Roi, planche III

Tériade, Paris
Perls Galleries, New-York
Brett Mitchell Collection, Lyndhurst, Ohio
Lillian Heidenberg Fine Art, New-York
Sale: Sotheby's, New-York, November 13, 1997, lot 482A
Sale: Sotheby's, New-York, November 7, 2012, lot 204
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

San Francisco, Weinstein Gallery, Surrealism: New Worlds, 2011, illustrated in the catalogue np.

Executed on cream wove paper, not laid down and taped to the mount at three points along the upper edge. All four edges are deckled. There are pinholes at all four corners. The sheet is light stained. This work is in overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Executed in 1954, this work is one of a set of hand colored presentation proofs from the collection of Tériade. It's the model for the lithography of the album Ubu Roi, plate III. Miró's set of thirteen lithographs for Alfred Jary's Ubu Roi was executed in 1953-54 and published by Tériade in 1966.


Created in 1954 at Tériade’s request, Chez le Roi de Pologne: Ubu Roi plate III is a unique work intended as an illustration for Alfred Jarry’s play, Ubu Roi. Written in the late 19th century, the play was a source of fascination for many Surrealists, who saw in the fat, cowardly and treacherous Père Ubu the embodiment of the modern anti-hero and the absurdity of always wanting more. At the height of Franco’s regime, the play had a special resonance with the inner circle of Surrealists in general, and the Catalan painter in particular. Although this large sheet — which wonderfully combines Miró’s naive and whimsical motifs and colours — dates from the early 1950s, it was not shown to the public until the early 1980s, just like the other works in this series. In 1982, the full collection was exhibited at the Perls Gallery in New York. Writing in the New York Times, John Russell hailed it a success: “The radiance of the color, the energy of the drawing and the freedom of the invention make these paintings a joy to look at if we have never heard of Alfred Jarry and regard General Franco as a fabulous monster, long forgotten" (John Russell, "Critics' Choices" in The New York Times, April 11, 1982, p. 3).



ADOM has confirmed the authenticity of this work.