20th-Century Parisian Art Journals
Defining Modernism: 20th-Century Parisian Art Journals features a selection of original prints and covers from leading modernist art journals chosen mainly from the Museum’s Permanent Collection. Published in Paris in the mid-twentieth century, these lithographs, etchings, woodcuts, and stencil prints were products of a remarkable collaboration between publishers and artists including such renowned talents as Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky, and Alexander Calder. Paris between the world wars was a magnet for writers and artists seeking to explore modern ideas and new art forms. The synergism of avant-garde poets, philosophers, critics, artists and visionary art dealers created a plethora of art journals including the lavishly illustrated Verve (1937-60), XXe Siècle(1938-81), and Derriére le Miroir (1946-82) from which the covers and prints displayed in this exhibition have been chosen. Verve was founded and published by Tériade (pseudonym of Efstratios Eleftheriades), a Greek-born Parisian art critic and editor who had previously collaborated on the journals Cahiers d’Art and Minotaure before launching his own periodical in 1937. XXe Siècle (Twentieth Century) was created by the Italian-born journalist and critic Gualtieri di San Lazzaro (pseudonym of Giuseppe Antonio Leandro Papa) in 1938, while Derriére le Miroir (Behind the Mirror) was launched in 1946 by the gallery owner and publisher Aimé Maeght. Together, these publications helped shape the definition of modern art for two generations in Europe and the United States.
