Hans Bellmer (1902-1975) - A la plage

Hans Bellmer (1902–1975) — “On the Beach” — Original etching on Japanese paper

Support size: 57x38 cm
Plate size: 32x24 cm

Technique: Etching (rose ink) on Japanese paper
Edition: 21/100
Signature: Signed in pencil at the bottom right: Bellmer
Condition: Excellent condition — intact paper, no visible foxing

Description of the work
This etching by Hans Bellmer presents a swirling composition characteristic of the artist's visual language: a female figure with organic, fluid contours, whose body metamorphoses into carnal swirls and atmospheric undulations reminiscent of water and wind. Executed in rose ink on the delicate surface of Japanese paper, the print showcases Bellmer's graphic virtuosity — that quality both precise and sensual, which dissolves the boundaries of the body to reveal its erotic and dreamlike charge. The work fully aligns with the surrealist aesthetic of the artist, midway between dream and flesh, anatomy and desire.

About the artist
Hans Bellmer (Katowice, 1902 – Paris, 1975) is one of the major figures of international surrealism. Painter, draftsman, engraver, and Franco-German sculptor, he is world-renowned for his Disjointed Dolls (1934), radical explorations of the body and sexuality. His preferred techniques are engraving and its variations: etching, drypoint, and aquatint.