Modest Cuixart | Female Face in Blue | Signed Lithograph (1981)

An original lithograph with a powerful dreamlike quality, where Modest Cuixart, a key figure in post-war Spanish avant-garde, displays his unmistakable magical figuration. A piece in deep blue tones, published in a short edition run, that captures the melancholic gaze and mystery characteristic of his mature period.

History and Curatorial Analysis

From matter to dreamlike figuration

Modest Cuixart (Barcelona, 1925 - Palamós, 2007) is a major name in the history of contemporary Spanish art. Co-founder of the historic Dau al Set group alongside Antoni Tàpies and Joan Brossa, his work moved through magical surrealism and dense material informalism before culminating, from the 70s and 80s onwards, in a very personal lyrical figuration. This lithograph, dated 1981, belongs to this latter period. In it, Cuixart abandons dark abstraction to focus on the human face, usually feminine or androgenous, endowing it with an enigmatic and theatrical aura.

The poetics of stroke and color

The visual analysis of the work shows Cuixart's absolute mastery of graphic technique. The face emerges from the structured cream paper through fluid patches of intense cyan blue and rapid charcoal or dark lithographic pencil strokes. The eyes, enormous, dark, and almond-shaped, are the center of gravity of the composition; a visual signature of the artist that connects directly with symbolism and expressionism. The stroke does not seek anatomical rigor, but emotion: the hair and clothing blur into blue color bursts that give the figure an ethereal dynamism, as if it were about to vanish.

Why is this piece an opportunity for your collection?

• Top-Tier Signature (Dau al Set): Collecting original graphic works is the smartest way to incorporate great museum masters into a private collection. Cuixart is an undisputed pillar of avant-garde art in Spain.

• Limited and Certified Edition: This is edition number 34 of a run of only 300 copies. The work is numbered, signed, and dated in pencil by the artist, which guarantees its authenticity and value in the secondary market.

• Chromatic Elegance: The striking contrast between the vibrant blue of the inks and the matte black frame with a light mat gives it a clean, very contemporary aesthetic that is easy to integrate into high-end interior design projects.

Technical Data Sheet

• Artist: Modest Cuixart i Tàpies (Barcelona, 1925 - 2007).

• Title / Theme: Female face / Magical figuration.

• Period: 1981 (Contemporary Spanish Art).

• Technique and Medium: Lithograph on paper.

• Edition: 34 / 300.

• Dimensions: 30 x 21 cm (visual footprint) | 43 x 35 cm (with frame).

• Signature and Inscriptions: Numbered "34/300" in the lower left corner. Signed and dated "Cuixart 1981" in pencil by the artist in the lower center.

• Provenance: Secondary art market, private collection.

• Condition: Very good. The paper retains its original tone with no appreciable foxing. The inks maintain excellent saturation. It comes with its contemporary black wooden frame, protected under glass.

• Inspection Guarantee: 14-day guaranteed return to inspect the work in person.

The Workshop's Note

The strength of this lithograph lies in its gaze. Cuixart managed to create faces that stare intently at you, loaded with an almost literary nostalgia. It is a piece that works perfectly as an accent piece: its size does not require large walls, but the intensity of its blue color and the depth of the figure's eyes demand attention. Ideal for an office, a reading area, or to accompany other Spanish graphic works from the second half of the 20th century.

Collector's Dossier Included: This work comes with an exhaustive research study, technical data sheet, and historical context about the artist and the Dau al Set group, prepared and printed by El Taller del Coleccionista.