Pierre Alechinsky (1927) - Head to Toe

Cover design for the famous 1962 catalog featuring works by Alechinsky, published by Galerie de France.

Head to Toe (original French title: De pied en cap) is a well-known graphic artwork by the Belgian artist Pierre Alechinsky from 1962. The work is a hand-coloured lithograph on paper in an edition of 50 and belongs to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Style & Movement
The artwork was created in the Tachisme style (the European counterpart of abstract expressionism). It shows strong influences from the CoBrA movement, of which Alechinsky was one of the leading figures.

Technique
The original work is larger and made with gouache and ink. This version for the Galerie de France catalog is smaller.

Typical of Alechinsky’s style, the work features flowing, almost calligraphic lines and organic, fantastical shapes that balance between pure abstraction and recognizable figurative elements.

Background
Alechinsky produced this work during a crucial period of his career, in which he began to perfect his characteristic vocabulary with expressive “marginal” border drawings (marginalia). The title Head to Toe mirrors the dynamic, flowing movement of the composition that fills the entire plane. In addition to MoMA, original prints and catalog impressions of this specific lithograph from 1962 later appeared at prominent European galleries, such as Galerie de France.

This famous catalog "Head to Toe" by Pierre Alechinsky was published in 1962 to accompany his exhibition at the prestigious Galerie de France in Paris.

Catalog features:
Contents: Includes 8 original colour lithographs by Alechinsky, including the cover.
Copies: Rare collectible, included in renowned collections such as the Museum of Modern Art.

Provenance
Private collection Brossard, Brussels