Artist Catalogue: Victor Delhez

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William P. Carl Fine Prints is pleased to represent the estate of Victor Delhez

Victor Delhez was born in Antwerp, one of seven children from a wealthy Antwerp family. From 1916-18 he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and from 1918-23 he was a student at the Faculty of Exact Sciences at the University of Louvain. He graduated as an agronomist with chemistry as his primary subject. He began exhibiting his caricatures and surrealist works on paper during this period. In addition, his first series of prints was published in Antwerp in 1925.

In 1925 Delhez's life changed. His parents were killed in a car crash so he gave up his job as manager of his father's motorcar company and decided to move to South America. In Buenos Aires, (1926-1933), he worked as a draughtsman, architect and contractor. While actively pursuing his engraving career he then decided to move to Bolivia. There, in conjunction with his friend Edgar Ernalsteen, he produced a first set of forty illustrations for the gospel and illustrated Lord Dunsady's "A Dreamer's Tale". During the late 1930s he continued refining his wood engraving technique and moved to Chacras de Coria, Argentina in 1940. His most famous work originated here and he became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, National University of Cuyo. He lived in Chacras de Coria for the rest of his life. His days as the itinerant artist were over.

Since 1926, Delhez's work has been shown in innumerable print exhibitions and his work can be found in many museum collections including Brussels, Antwerp (Plantin-Moretus), the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. His editions are remarkably small, normally only eight impressions per block. He signed the prints with the reference "epreuve d'artiste" signifying these impressions are from the edition of eight. His range of subjects include Dostoevsky, Baudelaire, the Dance of Death theme, architecture, Lord Dunsady's "A Dreamer's Tale," self portraiture and of course, the Bible. The series "Apocalypse" ('Book of Revelation') is a masterpiece of 20th century graphic art. This, along with "Architecture and Nostalgia," show the artist at his best: a technician, an architect, a dreamer, a poet, a comic and a thinker. We are pleased to offer these exceptional prints for sale to our clients.

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	Architecture and Nostalgia XVII Wood engraving, circa 1955, small edition. 15 x 11 1/2 in. Signed and titled in pencil. A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste". This series of architectural fantasies occupied Delhez throughout his life. $1,200

	Architecture and Nostalgia, #25 Wood engraving, 1973, small edition. 15 5/8 x 12 1/2 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $1,000

	Architecture and Nostalgia, #6 Wood engraving, 1955, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 3/4 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $1,200

	Architecture and Nostalgia, #8 Wood engraving, 1955, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in very good condition. (Old tape stains at corner of sheet and at sides of sheet.) Full margins. $1,200

	Architecture and Nostalgia, #9 Wood engraving, 1955, small edition. 14 7/8 x 11 1/2 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuvre d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $1,200

	Book of Revelation, VI (12-16), Cosmic Darkness Wood engraving, 1957, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 3/4 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Initialed in the block. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $1,200

	Book of Revelation, VIII (10-11), Absinth Angel Wood engraving, 1957, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 7/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Initialed in the block. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $1,200

	Book of Revelation, XII (7-12), War in Heaven Wood engraving, 1957, small edition. 15 5/8 x 13 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Initialed in the block. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition with full margins. $1,200

	Book Of Revelation, XIX, (1-8), Meeting of the Kings in Heaven Wood engraving, undated (1950-60), small edition. 15 3/4 x 13 in. Signed in pencil and inscribed "epreuve d'etat." A fine impression in very good condition. Minor tape stains at top of margin. $1,200

	Book of Revelation, XX (4-6) The Millennium Wood engraving, undated (1950-60), small edition. 15 5/8 x 13 in. Signed and titled in pencil. A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." $1,200

	Clouds Wood engraving, 1941, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 7/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression of this large print. Fine condition. Full margins. # 5 from the series "Studies Without Support" (also called "Torbellinos"). $1,000

	Cybernetiek Wood engraving, 1956, small edition. 11 3/4 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Initialed in the block. Inscribed "epreuvre d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. From the series "Danse Macabre". $850

	Dance of Death XXVI, Art & Science Wood engraving, 1946, small edition. 11 7/8 x 9 in. A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." $1,200

	Dance of Death XXVIII, The Seventh Veil Wood engraving, 1949, small edition. 12 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in fine condition. Breughel and film making converge in a bizarre vision of sex and relationships. Sigmund Freud is present in the crowded set. $850

	Dance of Death XXX, Self Portrait Wood engraving, 1948, small edition. 12 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $850

	Danse of Death XV, Winter Wood engraving, 1942, small edition. 11 3/4 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. This image was inspired by the German campaign against the Soviet Union during WWII. $850

	He Who Returned Wood engraving, 1941, small edition. 11 3/4 x 9 in. Signed in pencil and initialed in the block. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins (somewhat narrow on the sides). This print was inspired by Baudelaire but not included in Delhez's rendition of "Les Fleurs du Mal." $850

	La Ronde Wood engraving, 1942, small edition. 15 5/8 x 12 7/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed in pencil "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. Fine condition. #2 from the series "Studies Without Support" (also called "Torbellinos") The scene depicted is a kind of ring dance with mythical overtones. $1,000

	Portrait of the Artist as Ulenspiegel Wood engraving, undated, Small edition. 12 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." The character "Thyl Ulenspiegel" is well-known in Flemish folklore. He is a person who tells the truth in the form of a joke, holding a mirror to the people. The first appearance of Ulenspiegel has its origins in the Middle Ages. But the most famous one is the 19th century novel by Charles de Coster, written in French, a book that was considered revolutionary at the time. Ulenspiegel is, in this book, a young Protestant fighting the Spanish rulers and the Roman Catholic Church. This was a favorite book of the artist. Telling the "truth" in a hidden form pleased Delhez very much. $850

	Scherzo in Gold Wood engraving, 1948, small edition. 11 3/4 x 8 7/8 in. Signed in pencil and also initialed in the block. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. This brilliant parody on the concept of the "Golden Number" depicts a professor with the skull of a parrot and five students. The print is constructed around several pentagrams. $850

	Self Portrait Wood engraving, circa 1975, small edition. 11 3/4 x 9 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste" in pencil. A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. An engaging, later work. $850

	To Be Or Not To Be Wood engraving, 1948, small edition. 11 3/4 x 8 7/8 in. Signed in pencil and initialed in the block. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. $850

	Walkure Wood engraving, 1942, small edition. 15 3/4 x 12 3/4 in. Signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste". A fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. #7 from the series "Studies Without Support" (also called "Torbellinos"). The use of textile is here used to show the "leader" of the group. The "Walkure" is a mythical group from the old German religion and they were "war ladies". Wagner also used them in "Der Ring des Nibelungen". $1,000

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