Jesu Via et Vita Nostra - Jesu Thesaurus Fidelium

Lithograph printed in light and in dark orange-brown on chine-collé.
Reference: BN-IFF 2.
Plate 6 for the set of 9 color lithographs titled “Le Cantique des Créatures”.
From the edition of 100, after the main stone broke (printed in different color variants).
Published by the artist.
Monogrammed and numbered “20” in pencil.

In pristine condition. One nearly never sees this iconic print in as fine a condition.

This is one of the two most compelling images of the Cantique des Créatures series.  Dulac was clearly pleased with it.  He printed it in a variety of color variants despite the fact that the stone had cracked. This “defect”, which is visible throughout the edition, clearly didn’t bother him; or maybe the deeply religious artist simply considered it a sign from God.  He also ran a further 20 impressions of this very composition in another dramatic color variant, after the edition of 100 was printed.  The lithograph is sometimes also titled La Chapelle de Minerville.  Where this title comes from is unclear.  Minerville doesn’t exist in France, only in Algeria.