Zao Wou-Ki, Beauregard (Frontispiece)

Etching and aquatint, 1981

Limited edition of 40 (31/40)

Published by Maeght (Paris)

Printed by Atelier Lacourière et Frélaut (Paris)

Catalogue: Agerup 307

38.00 cm × 28.00 cm (sheet size)

25.00 cm × 18.00 cm (image size)

Signed in pencil

Certificate of authenticity included

Condition: Excellent

This artwork is held by our partner gallery in France. While the condition is considered good by local (French) standards, evaluation criteria for vintage items may differ between France and Japan. Please consider purchasing only after acknowledging the signs of age (stains, discoloration, folds, wrinkles, tanning, etc.) typical of a vintage item. We have not personally inspected the physical artwork. The piece is currently stored in France, and delivery after ordering will take 2 weeks or more. Due to the nature of the artwork, returns after purchase cannot be accepted.

Artwork Description

《Beauregard (Frontispice)》 is a work filled with quiet lyricism, where Zao Wou-Ki explored the fusion of poetry and printmaking.

“Frontispice” refers to an initial illustration or introductory image placed at the beginning of a book, and this work was created as a visual gateway to lead the viewer into the world of literature.

There is no clear landscape depiction in the image.

However, through soft tones and delicate, overlapping etched lines, something like a path or rock face floating in mist, or a hint of light, quietly appears and disappears.

Zao Wou-Ki sought to express the "sensation before seeing" and the "lingering memory" rather than concretely depicting objects.

In this work, too, space is not a fixed place but an inner landscape that constantly changes with perspective and emotion.

Furthermore, his works are deeply imbued with the Eastern philosophy of negative space.

The unpainted areas are not merely blank spaces but crucial elements that evoke light, air, and stillness.

Thus, this work possesses a profound sense of breathing, as if drifting in silence.

The delicate tonal expressions created by etching and aquatint are also exceptionally beautiful, giving the print the lightness and transparency of an ink painting.

In the 1980s, Zao Wou-Ki further matured his abstract expression into a spiritual and poetic realm, and this work reflects that refined worldview.

《Beauregard (Frontispice)》 is a work full of Zao Wou-Ki's characteristic lyricism, where nature, poetry, memory, and silence quietly intersect.

Title Explanation

Beauregard

is French for:

• "beautiful view"
• "beautiful scenery"

Also,

Frontispice

means:

• "frontispiece"
• "title-page illustration"
• "introductory image"

Therefore, the title of this work is:

《Beauregard (Beautiful View) Frontispiece》