Maurice de Vlaminck (French, 1876-1958)

The Haute Folie Portfolio

Self-taught and largely opposed to any form of conventional regimentation, French artist Maurice de Vlaminck is known largely for his violent color palette and turbulent brush stroke. Toward the end of his life Vlaminck's wild artistic character had settled and the painterly prints of his portfolio Haute Folie, his last creative project, reflect the artist's mature style. Rich in color and drawn with a gestural, almost quivering Van Gogh-like black line, the color lithographs of Haute Folie vividly illustrate charming pre-industrialized French village scenes and surrounding quiet country farmland. The pastoral illustrations of this portfolio offer landscapes of simple buildings, lonely paths, and golden fields of grain. Taken from the original portfolio which was published for the first time in 1964, these color lithographs are printed in text with text verso.