Here we have a rare and notorious etching by Edouard Chimot (1880 - 1959), a French artist, illustrator and editor whose career reached its peak in the 1920s in Paris. Mr. Chimot wasn't pulling any punches with this intense print. The rare work is titled "L’esclave Blanc Role Inversee", which roughly translates to “White Slave, Role Reversed”. You have plenty of social and political norms inverted and thrown in the face of every viewer. Pretty sure "subtle" is a word rarely uttered while contemplating this piece from the French underground art world of the 1920s. Bettie Page was 30 years too late!
The antique French print is pencil signed along the lower middle edge, and signed "Chimot" in the lower left block of the etching. There are also a couple drawings of the faces along the right edge. Occasionally Chimot added sketches around the main edges. It's unclear if this part of the print or actual ink or graphite drawings. I'm leaning towards the latter.
The underground artwork comes out the estate of a Twin Cities collector of underground and erotic artwork from the turn of the century. It was likely produced in France in the 1920s. The artwork was framed by the Westbury Art Frame and Gallery in Westburg, New York.
Here is a short biography of Chimot courtesy of Wikipedia: Full page
here.Édouard Chimot (26 November 1880 – 7 June 1959) was a French artist, illustrator and editor whose career reached its peak in the 1920s in Paris, through the publication of fine quality art-printed books. As artist his own work occupies a characteristic place, but as editor also his role was extremely important in bringing together some of the outstanding talents of that distinctive period in French art and providing the commissions upon which the development of their work in a formal context occurred.
The crucial decade of his career was that between the end of World War I and the Wall Street Crash. It was during this time of frivolity and excess that Édouard Chimot created the haunting and compelling images by which his name will endure. Not only was he editing an important list for Devambez, but he remained at the same time as director of Éditions de La Roseraie, while also pursuing his own artistic career.
The framed Chimot print measures 16" tall, 14" wide, and 1" deep. The exposed print measures about 10 1/2" by 8 1/2". The entire piece is in great condition. There are some ink specks from the original etching press in the margins. Personally, I think it makes the piece even cooler. The professional framing is solid. Please see all pics as they are part of the description.
I ship FedEx to street addresses in the continental USA only (no PO boxes). Free shipping on the rare underground artwork by Chimot.
This is the hammer that pounded subtlety into the cold hard earth. The underground was raging in France circa 1920s.
