Jean-Emile Laboureur, L’Heure du Bain
Displaying what contemporary poet and friend Max Jacob described as “chic” and “grand classical elegance,” artist Jean-Emile Laboureur was widely collected by Americans as well as Europeans. His Cubism work is my favorite. Led by its foremost proponents, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, Laboureur’s etchings retain a natural and airy ambiance that do not overemphasize the intellectual pursuit of Cubism.
The engraving shown is a delightful 1920s ‘Day at the Beach’. Sailors, beach goers and swimmers intermix on the boardwalk, going to and coming from the ocean. An edition of 102, signed and numbered in pencil. For a closer look, clicking on the image will increase its size.