Untitled

Flandrin employed lithography to achieve fluid, spontaneous lines that mimic sketching. The ink’s variable absorption creates soft gradations and textured shadows, enhancing the sense of immediacy. Loose, rapid strokes define the riders and horses, avoiding precise contours in favor of dynamic suggestion. This approach aligns with his move away from academic precision toward a more intuitive, expressive mode.

Flandrin, trained under Gustave Moreau and associated with Matisse and Rouault, produced this lithograph during a phase of personal and artistic transformation following World War I. The portfolio was likely made for private circulation or limited publication, reflecting the era’s interest in artist-led print collections. It entered MoMA’s collection as part of its broader effort to document early 20th-century printmaking practices.

In the 1920s, many European artists turned to printmaking as a means of personal expression outside commercial demands. Flandrin’s work reflects this trend, blending traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. His wartime experiences deepened his focus on human presence and emotional resonance, distinguishing his prints from the decorative tendencies of earlier Symbolist influences.

Though less widely known than his contemporaries, Flandrin’s lithographs contribute to the understanding of interwar French printmaking as a vehicle for introspective art. His use of sketch-like line and tonal variation influenced later artists exploring the expressive potential of lithography. This work remains a quiet example of how personal experience reshaped printmaking in the early 20th century.