Pictures in Focus: Passion Wood Engravings by George Rouault

July 2, 2011

Pictures in Focus: Passion Wood Engravings by George Rouault

During the month of July, I will be presenting new artworks and artists in my collection from France, beginning with nine full-page wood engravings by Master Printmaker Georges Rouault from Passion, published in 1939 by Art Impresario Ambroise Vollard. The prints come from a suite of 82 wood engravings, designed by Rouault to accompany 24 reflections on Christ's Passion and suffering by Essayist Andre Saures, a close friend of the artist. Vollard produced some of the greatest art books of the 20th century, not only commissioning illustrations from Rouault but from other leading artists of the period, including Maurice Denis, Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. Passion was the last of Vollard's fine art book publications. The wood engravings join ten colored aquatints from Passion, already posted on Rouault's profile page in the Sacred Artists' section. They are identified by the chapters, where they appear in the portfolio manuscript (John Kohan)