Aleph

Original colour lithograph printed on Arches wove paper. A few hors-commerce copies. Printed by La Pierre d’Angle. 76 × 57 cm.

History

This lithograph is the first of a suite of nine that never saw the light of day. Following his first album, entitled 1101, published by Maeght in 1970 and accompanied by a text by Alain Bosquet, Alain Le Yaouanc – in the tradition of the great illustrated original lithographic edition – began work in 1971 on a new series of lithographs on the theme of Genesis. In the course of this long undertaking he several times changed the number of plates, their format and their title. In 1973 he selected nine plates (the symbolic number of fulfilment) which he regarded as definitive, and took as the title the name of the primordial sound, “Aum”. In 1976, just as he was handing over his documents so that a bon à tirer could be prepared and the plates printed, his original text was lost. Following this irreparable loss, and although the first plate had been printed, he abandoned the publication of this book.

Exhibitions

• 1975, Paris, Galerie La Pierre d’Angle (72 rue Quincampoix). Permanent exhibition of lithographs by Alain Le Yaouanc.

Public sales

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Bibliography

• Le Yaouanc Aragon, Carmen Martinez and La Pierre d’Angle éditeur, Paris, 1979, ill. p. 195.

Catalogue raisonné reference: LITH1975-0001