Color lithograph, circa 1960. 585x451 mm; 23 1/8x18 inches, full margins. Signed and numbered 14/200 in pencil, lower margin. A very good impression with strong colors.
Masson (1896-1987) was a French painter and sculptor who played an important role in the development of Surrealism in the 1920s and 1930s. Masson was born in Balagny-sur-Therain, and attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1912 to 1914, joining the French army shortly after his graduation. While serving in World War I, he was wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans, which resulted in a subsequent nervous breakdown. This experience proved to be a turning point for Masson, as he began to explore his own inner world and develop a new style of painting that combined elements of primitive and modern art.
Masson became a key figure in the Surrealist movement; his works often depicted dreamlike images of the subconscious. Through his work, he sought to explore the mysteries of the human psyche and the power of the imagination. Like the artist Max Ernst, he was also a great admirer of Sigmund Freud and his theories of the subconscious. During the 1930s, Masson traveled to North Africa and Mexico, experiences which further influenced his art.
