salvador-dali-and-the-divine-comedy

The Divine Comedy, Salvador Dali

Part 1 (Collector’s information guide)

We are inundated with questions regarding Salvador Dali’s woodcuts for the Divine Comedy – and with good reason. These popular woodcuts have been sold around the world since they were published in 1960. This guide covers most of the questions you could think to ask about these fantastic woodcuts – but if there is something we left out, feel free to send us a question. We have separated the guide into easy-to-read sections. The information below was compiled from both Reference catalogs for Authentic Salvador Dali Graphics, auction house records, appraisals, expert authentications, and our own 30+ years’ experience.

1. History of the Divine Comedy
2. Woodcut Process
3. Editions
4. Paper, Watermarks, and Appearance
5. Authenticity
6. Reprints
7. References

1. History

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri remains today one of the pillars upon which the European literary tradition has been built. Originally titled simply Commedia, Dante’s masterpiece was written at the end of his life and finished just before his death in 1321. Presented in the edition published by Les Heures Claires is Salvador Dali’s interpretation of the wonderful and intense imagery that Dante formed through spinning a web of words both exciting and exhilarating.
To celebrate the 700th anniversary of Dante’s birth, the government of Italy planned to issue a special edition of The Divine Comedy. For this issue, Dali created 101 watercolors between 1951 and 1960. In 1954, La Libreria della Stato published a brochure with seven of the paintings reproduced full size as lithographs, together with sample pages of the text. The prints are 16 1/2 inches x 11 inches with narrow margins. Due to the opposition these prints created, the Italian government dropped the project and postage stamps were issued instead. Several years later, Joseph Foret, in Paris, who had previously published other Dali suites such as Don Quichotte, started production of the prints by wood engraving. Master engravers worked from 1959 – 1963 to carve 3500 separate wood blocks for the 100 prints. The Divine Comedy project was then taken over and completed by Jean Estrade of Les Heures Claires. (See below for edition information)

2. Color Woodcut Process

Please see Part 2 of this article for a more in-depth discussion of the color woodcut process and pictures of a decomposition/progressive proof set from The Divine Comedy.

3. Editions

The Woodcuts for the French, German, and Italian editions of The Divine Comedy were all printed in France. The woodcuts are on BFK Rives paper and measure app. 10 1/4 inches x 13 inches. The bottom edge is deckled. In the divine comedy edition information listed below you will find reference to some of the deluxe suites having a set of copper engraved images. This guide is only discussing the color woodcuts issued in the Divine Comedy suite.

Joseph Foret Edition

Joseph Foret is responsible for the deluxe edition of the Divine Comedy. The Deluxe edition of the Divine Comedy consists of a total of 33 sets. Twenty-one of the thirty-three sets are on Japon paper, the other twelve are on BKF Rives paper. Out of the 12 sets on Rives, 2 were for the artist and the other 10 were for named persons. The sets consisted of the following:

Set “I” had 9 original watercolors by Dali and 3 inked plates, a suite on silk of the copper plate engravings, a suite on Rives of the copper plate engravings, a suite on silk of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration.

Set “II and III” had 6 original watercolors by Dali and 1 inked plate, a suite on silk of the copper plate engravings, a suite on silk of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration.

Set “IV-VIII” had 3 original watercolors by Dali and 1 inked plate, a suite on silk of the copper plate engravings, a suite on silk of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration.

Set “IX-XXI” had 1 original watercolor by Dali, a suite on silk of the copper plate engravings, a suite on silk of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration.

These suites were presented in six satin-covered slipcase boxes. Each “set” also contained a color lithograph of the Danse or Les Servantes (1960), published by Foret but not part of the book edition, a photographic portrait of the artist by P. Almasy, a print on Lyon Satin attached to an illustration and three copper plate engravings.

Jean Estrade – Les Heures Claires

The edition most familiar with the market is the French edition of The Divine Comedy published by Jean Estrade of Les Heures Claires, Paris. The total edition size is 4765 sets. Due to some of the sets having twos suites, there are a total of 5346 prints of each woodcut. The sets contained the following:

Sets “1-15” had a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings and1 inked plate, a suite on Rives of the copper plate engravings, a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration (being a total of six sets of decompositions, one for each slipcase). The early sets of the Divine Comedy were issued in 12 slipcases boxes rather than six. The extra boxes held the extra suites of prints and decompositions. I have seen both twelve uniform size boxes and also six thicker than regular size boxes and six boxes that are about half the thickness of the regular boxes.

Sets “16-165” had a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings and a suite on Rives of the copper plate engravings, a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings, and a suite of decompositions of one illustration (being a total of six sets of decompositions, one for each slipcase).

Sets “166-515” had a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings and a suite of decompositions of one illustration (being a total of six sets of decompositions, one for each slipcase).

Sets “866-4765” had a suite on Rives of the woodcut engravings.

Each volume is presented in a slipcase. Two volumes for enferno in cream slipcases with red swirling accent lines, two volumes for purgatory in cream slipcases with purple swirling accent lines, Two volumes for paradise in cream slipcases with blue swirling accent lines. The woodcuts and French text are loose. I have seen some sets where a master binder has bound the sets in fine leather with gilt tooling (this binding was not as issued but can be very suave nonetheless.

Jean Estrade also sold sets of plate signed Divine Comedy woodcuts in three slipcases to dealers. The set came with several pages of text in French describing each canto (Like the German edition, only in French). The tirage page that cane with the block signed French sets stated an edition of 500. (Referenced in Field page 192) The woodcuts are on watermarked BFK Rives paper and the only difference between these and the regular French edition is the additional block signatures.

German Edition:

The German edition of The Divine Comedy was published by Les Heures Claires and was limited to 1000 sets. Out of the 1000 sets only 386 or so were completed. Each print was matted in a paper sleeve. The prints bear watermarks, (two of every four) and the only difference between these woodcuts and the regular French edition is the addition of a block signature. Each print, with the exception of Enferno 1 and Purgatory 9, which already bear a plate signature have an added block signature in the image area. It is not clear whether this edition is in addition to or part of the 5346 mentioned above. I have seen many of the higher tirage number French sets with varying numbers of Block signed prints. I have seen some sets with all of the prints bearing a block signature (with the exceptions noted above); I have also seen French sets with as few as five or six block signed prints in place of the unsigned prints. Most of the French sets issued, were issued unsigned or without the additional block signature with the exception of the 500 French sets issued with the block signature and having a tirage page.

Italian edition:

100 woodcuts without block signatures (with exception of enferno 1 and purgatory 9 which always have a signature in the image), issued in 6 boxes with modern Italian text. According to Field, 3188 sets for the Italian edition.

4. Watermarks

As for the watermarks, you will find one of the following three instances. The woodcut can bear a BFK Rives watermark, a Les Heures Claires watermark, or no watermark at all. The watermarks appeared only twice per sheet of four woodcuts, two out of every four are without a watermark. The woodcuts can be either forward or backwards and can be viewed by placing the print between you and a light source. The watermark will be visible along the lower edge if there.4. Watermarks

As for the watermarks, you will find one of the following three instances. The woodcut can bear a BFK Rives watermark, a Les Heures Claires watermark, or no watermark at all. The watermarks appeared only twice per sheet of four woodcuts, two out of every four are without a watermark. The woodcuts can be either forward or backwards and can be viewed by placing the print between you and a light source. The watermark will be visible along the lower edge if there.

5. Authenticity

I have heard the question, are the divine comedy woodcuts legitimate prints. Some dealers have the tendency to bastardize the Divine Comedy suite or try to belittle it because of the edition size. The facts about the Divine Comedy are pretty simple. The woodcuts for the Divine Comedy are listed in both reference guides for Authentic Salvador Dali prints. Major auction houses including Sotheby’s and Christies sell and have sold for years suites of the Divine Comedy. One of the leading Dali Appraisers in the world and the now passed away world expert Albert Field, say that the woodcuts from the Divine Comedy are authentic Dali prints. I don’t know what else needs to be said about authenticity.

6. Reprints

Reprints for the Divine Comedy have come in many forms. The sets popularity even prompted the publisher to issue an anniversary set of the Divine Comedy. They are a different size than the originals. I think it would be easier to describe an original Divine Comedy woodcut than all of the reprints. An original woodcut will be on BFK Rives paper, with or without the watermarks listed above (unless it is from the Foret edition on Japon or silk). It will measure approximately 10 1/4 inches x 13 inches. The bottom edge will be deckled (unless trimmed for some reason). The back may have a chalky backing (added on some of the woodcuts because the ink density was too thick for the paper) and possibly a chant number printed on the reverse (the Italian sets have chant numbers on the reverse). The woodcuts will not have a facsimile signature outside of the image area, will not be numbered of 500 and will not be offset lithographs.

7. References

References for authentic graphic works by Salvador Dali are listed below. These reference guides can be ordered online and are the standard reference guides used by collectors and dealers for Salvador Dali prints.

Michler/Lopsinger Catalogue Raisonne volumes 1 and 2, published by Prestel. Isbn no. 3-7913-1279-0 and 3-7913-1602-8
Field, Albert The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali, Isbn no. 0-9653611-0-1