CARBONELL | RULL (GIRLS) - THE WINGED HORSE | BON À TIRER (B.A.T.) PROOF | ORIGINAL ETCHING

CARBONELL | RULL (GIRLS) - THE WINGED HORSE | BON À TIRER (B.A.T.) PROOF | ORIGINAL ETCHING

An exceptional workshop proof with the coveted category of Bon à Tirer (Good to Print). A print of profound visual poetry and absolute rarity, emerged from the legendary presses of master Masafumi Yamamoto in Barcelona.

HISTORY AND CURATORIAL ANALYSIS

Dreamlike Lyricism and Literary Collaboration

This captivating print is part of the fourth installment of the acclaimed graphic series "Rull (Noies)", conceived in March 1985 as a creative dialogue between the artist Carbonell and the Catalan writer Pep Albanell. Far from strict realism, Carbonell immerses us in a universe of dreamlike and poetic figuration. The composition is dominated by the tender encounter between a young woman (dressed in a delicate mottled suit) and a monumental winged horse that evokes the mythological figure of Pegasus. The girl's gesture, caressing the animal's face against a textured background and abstract clouds, imbues the work with formidable silence and visual sensitivity.

Workshop Pedigree and Technical Purity

The execution of this plate is superb and was carried out entirely by hand in the legendary Barcelona workshop of master Masafumi Yamamoto, whose presses saw the works of contemporary art totems such as Antoni Tàpies, Joan Brossa, and Jaume Plensa. The etching displays a rich interplay of intaglio textures: from the deep and dense blacks of the background to the subtlety of the patterns in the horse's wings and the young woman's dress, demonstrating the extremely high level of technical demandingness of this edition.

WHY IS THIS PIECE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR COLLECTION?

• Absolute Rarity (The B.A.T. example): In print collecting, there is no more important print than the Bon à Tirer (B.A.T.). It is the definitive, exact, and perfect proof that the artist approves and signs in their own hand to give the green light to the printer. It serves as an unchangeable model for the rest of the edition. By definition, there is only one B.A.T. per edition, which makes this piece a historical document of unattainable rarity for commercial release.

• Print Quality: The impression of the intaglio plate is deep and bold, demonstrating the absolute freshness of the metal in its first passes.

• Noble Support: Printed on exceptional 250-gram Vélin Arches mould-made paper. Recognized worldwide for its immutability, the paper retains its coveted natural deckled edges and immaculate whiteness, giving the piece a physical and visual weight of museum quality.

TECHNICAL DATA

• Artist: Carbonell (Engraving belonging to the "Rull" series, with texts by Pep Albanell).

• Title / Theme: Rull (Noies) - Fourth print (The encounter with the winged horse).

• Period: March 1985 (Contemporary Art / Poetic Figuration).

• Technique and Support: Original etching printed by hand on 250 grs Vélin Arches paper (with intact deckled edges).

• Edition / Run: Unique B.A.T. (Bon à Tirer) example. Workshop reference print, not for commercial sale.

• Dimensions: Support (Paper): 44 x 32 cm | Plate mark: 24.5 x 30 cm (approx).

• Signature and Inscriptions: Handwritten annotation "Bon a Tirer" in pencil in the lower left margin and signed in Carbonell's own hand in the lower right margin.

• Provenance: Workshop of master printer Masafumi Yamamoto (Barcelona) / Technical archive.

• Condition: Very Good.

THE WORKSHOP NOTE

The value of this work transcends its undeniable aesthetic beauty to delve into the very history of the noble craft of engraving. Reading "Bon a Tirer" written in pencil in the margin is like being present in Yamamoto's workshop in 1985, at the very moment Carbonell lifts the paper from the press, nods his head, and decides that this, and no other, is the perfect image he wishes to bequeath to the world. It is the pristine origin of the creative process encapsulated on paper.

Includes Collector's Dossier: This work comes with an exhaustive research study, technical data sheet, and curatorial context prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista, certifying our research and known provenance.