JOSEP M.ª DRAPER | INTERIOR STILL LIFE (BON À TIRER PROOF) | WORKSHOP DOCUMENT | ORIGINAL ETCHING

JOSEP M.ª DRAPER | INTERIOR STILL LIFE (BON À TIRER PROOF) | WORKSHOP DOCUMENT | ORIGINAL ETCHING

The precise moment of graphic creation captured on paper. An exceptional workshop document with the coveted "Bon à Tirer" cataloging and original handwritten instructions by master Draper.

HISTORY AND CURATORIAL ANALYSIS

The intimacy of the still life and the rigor of the workshop

In the select world of graphic art collecting, workshop proofs that document the artist's decision-making process are the most coveted and rare pieces. This magnificent intaglio print by the Catalan master Josep M.ª Draper depicts a rich and elaborate intimate interior still life. Through energetic needlework, the artist creates a scene composed of a large floral centerpiece on a table, scattered books, vases, and a classic sideboard or dresser in the background. Light falls diagonally, creating a vibrant play of chiaroscuro full of textured nuances.

The master's command: Anatomy of a B.A.T.

The true museological and historical value of this piece lies in its documentary nature. In the lower left margin, the author has cataloged the print in pencil as "Bon a tirer" (the master proof, theoretically perfect, which authorizes the printer to print the entire series). However, the genius of this print lies in the upper right margin, where Draper added a crucial final technical instruction: "fondo + claro : limpio" ("background + clear : clean"). This direct command transforms the work into a rare testimony of workshop dialogue, capturing the exact moment the creator demands thorough cleaning of the copper plate (removing the surface ink veil from the background) to achieve maximum luminosity in the definitive commercial edition.

WHY IS THIS PIECE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR COLLECTION?

• Documentary Rarity (The B.A.T. copy): By definition, the Bon à Tirer is a unique piece, the "Rosetta Stone" from which the entire edition is born. By also containing handwritten corrections that modify the final result, we are faced with a technical study object unattainable in the ordinary commercial market.

• The Author's Intimate Mark: To own a work that includes the autograph signature "Draper" along with his notes and technical reflections is to own a tangible piece of contemporary art history and the creator's thought process.

• For Purist Collectors: Printed on excellent high-grammage cotton paper, it is an essential and highly prestigious acquisition for engraving historians, bibliophiles, or lovers of editorial rarities seeking "living documents."

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Author: Josep M.ª Draper.

• Title / Theme: Interior with books and flowers (Interior still life).

• Technique and Support: Original etching on high-grammage cotton paper with natural deckled edges.

• Edition / Cataloging: Master proof "Bon a tirer" (B.A.T.) / Workshop document. Handwritten inscription in the lower left margin.

• Historical Peculiarity: Includes the original technical instruction in pencil "fondo + claro : limpio" in the artist's own hand in the upper right margin.

• Signature and Inscriptions: Hand-signed in pencil "Draper" in the lower right corner.

• Dimensions: Support (Paper): Approx. 35 x 28.5 cm | Plate impression: Square format (exact cataloging in millimeters pending).

• Provenance: Technical archive / Artist's workshop collection.

• Condition of Conservation: Excellent archive condition. Intact paper, free of oxidation, preserving the exact working inking that the artist evaluated at the press.

THE WORKSHOP NOTE

In the graphic art market, acquiring a print is common; acquiring the exact moment of its creation is a privilege. Draper's handwritten instruction—"fondo + claro : limpio"—is not a simple workshop note; it is the genetic code that determined all subsequent editions. This piece transcends the purely aesthetic to become the "missing link" between the copper plate and the commercial print run. A document of incalculable value conceived exclusively for the erudite collector who demands to possess the purity, rigor, and intimate history of the intaglio process.

Collector's Dossier Included: This work is delivered with a comprehensive research study, technical sheet, and curatorial context prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista, certifying our research and known provenance.