L'Enragé (from the Le Dérière le Miroir series, No. 176)
Original Color Lithograph on paper. • Joan Miró (Spanish, 1893–1983).
Style & Movement
Surrealism / Mid-Century Modernism.
Medium & Technique
Color lithography featuring bold black linear elements, spattered ink effects, and flat planes of primary and secondary colors.
Creation Period
1969
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 38 x 28 cm (sheet size); vertical portrait orientation.
Subject Description
An abstract, zoomorphic composition featuring a bird-like or monstrous figure rendered in thick black calligraphic lines. A central red 'eye' or core is surrounded by energetic splatters, a blue crescent, a green orb, and a yellow eye-shape, characteristic of Miró's private cosmogony and 'savage' period style.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good. The colors appear vibrant, though there is visible reflection indicative of standard framing glass rather than museum-grade UV protection.
Estimated Market Value
$1,200 - $2,500 USD.
Auction Estimate
$800 - $1,500 USD.
Provenance History
Likely published as part of 'Derrière le Miroir' by Galerie Maeght, Paris. This specific plate was often distributed within the high-end art periodical of the same name.
Art Historical Significance
This work represents Miró's late-career exploration of spontaneous gesture and lithographic experimentation. The 'Le Dérière le Miroir' series was pivotal in democratizing modernist art, allowing collectors to own original graphic works by masters like Miró and Chagall.
Notable Features
Features a printed signature in the lower right (typical for this edition). The 'spatter' technique used here demonstrates Miró's bridge between Surrealist automatism and American Abstract Expressionism.
Condition Issues
Potential light-strike or mat burn if not framed with acid-free materials. Slight buckling of the paper indicates it may be hinged at the top only.
Conservation Recommendations
Remount using acid-free, reversible archival materials. Replace current glass with UV-filtering museum glass to prevent color fading and paper yellowing.