Woodcut Print From 1931 Representing An Elephant By Paul Jouve

Paul Jouve (1878-1973) " Elephants " Woodcut in colors on paper 25 cm x 23 cm Signed in the plate lower left. “In woodcut, or xylography, we use the relief size which, unlike the soft size used for the drypoint or burin, consists of hollowing out the plate and therefore "saving" the elements that will form the lines of the drawing”… In translation: woodcut is a printing technique where the hollowed out parts become the whites of the image. Many artists have practiced these techniques. Paul Jouve, born March 16, 1878 in Seine-et-Marne, is a French painter, sculptor, illustrator and ceramist renowned for his captivating representations of African fauna. Immersed in the world of art from a young age, he took advantage of his father's ceramic workshop in Paris, where he learned about color and clay. Encouraged by his parents, he developed a passion for drawing, fueled by his visits to the Jardin des Plantes, where he discovered his fascination with big cats. At the École des Arts Décoratifs, Jouve trained in lithography in the studio of Henry Patrice Dillon. At the age of 16, he was already exhibiting at the Salon de la Société des Artistes. For the Universal Exhibition of 1900, he created a frieze of wild animals measuring over 100 meters. In 1914, mobilized as a photographer for the Army of the Orient, he continued to paint and, protected by Alexander of Serbia, met influential figures from Europe, thus expanding his clientele. After the war, Jouve exhibited in Athens and received the Legion of Honor in 1920. Inspired by the fauna of Asia and Africa, he was awarded at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in 1925. During the Second World War, he continued to work and exhibited in Paris and Marseille. In 1945, he became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts and continued his work until his death in 1973, becoming a key figure in animal art. Print framed in a contemporary frame reminiscent of the 1930s.