La Regla Abstracta (The Abstract Rule)
Rosario, Argentina: Ediciones Ellena, 1967.
Limited Edition.
#158 of a limited edition of 403 copies. This is one of 200 copies numbered 1 to 200 that includes a second copy of the original wood engraving printed from the original block done by Joaquin Torres-Garcia in 1931 and housed in a separate cloth covered portfolio. This print is signed by the artist’s wife Manolita P. (Pina) de Torres Garcia (1908-1994).
Joaquin Torres-Garcia (1874-1949) wrote his essay La Regla Abstracta in 1947, to be published as an introduction to the book Nueva Escuela de Arte de Uruguay. That publication included a set of reproductions of works done by Torres Garcia and his disciples at the Asociacion de Arte Constructivo founded by Torres-Garcia in Montevideo. A reimpression of this essay, its English version and an original print by Torres-Garcia are included here – along with the additional print described above.
All 403 copies include an original wood-engraving printed on Ingres from the original block engraved by Torres-Garcia in 1931. The first 9-3/8 x 12” print is printed on a singled 9-3/8 x 12” sheet of Ingres and is tipped onto a folding sheeth. The first three copies numbered I-III were given to family members. The remaining copies are numbered 1 to 400. This is one of the first 200 numbered copies which includes a second copy of the original wood-engraving printed from the original block on a folded folio sheet with a colophon and signature by a family member on the facing page, housed in a separate folio. Torres-Garcia’s photograph was taken by Robert Lagarmilla in 1939. The texts were printed at Perello S. A., Rosario (Argentine). The wood-engraving was printed at the atelier of Francisco A. Colombo under Raul Veroni’s supervision. Rebeca Ch. De Guber, Victor L. Rebuffo, Daniel Zelaya, Albino Fernandez and Eduardo Seron assisted in its production. The printing was finished on October 12, 1967.
Joaquin Torres-Garcia (1874-1949) was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and returned with his parents to their native Spain in 1891 where Joaquin became an artist, painter, sculpture, muralist, writer, art teacher and art theorist. A contemporary and associate of many modern art icons including Picasso, Arp, Mondrian, Ernst, Miro, Dali, and Jacques Lipchitz, Torres Garcia founded the first European abstract art group, the Cercle et Carre, in Paris in 1929. He founded a number of art schools, lectured and wrote extensively on the subject of art, and is credited with the founding of the art movements known as Modern Classicism and Universal Constructivism. Torres-Garcia returned to Montevideo in April of 1934. Torres Garcia and Manuel Rendon have been credited with bringing the Constructivist Movement into Latin America.
Item #9015778 folded 13-12 x 20” folio sheets unbound laid into paper wrappers covered in glassine, original 9-3/8 x 12” print on Ingres paper tipped onto folded folio sheet, sepia toned photograph of the artist 4-1/4 x 6-1/2” taken by Robert Lagarmilla in 1939 is tipped-in to preliminary leaf with artist’s quote: "So many readings, trials and meditations crystallized in one idea: art should belong to a land and to an epoch” (from Historia de mi vida). Extra print is housed in cloth covered folding portfolio, all in cloth covered slipcase with printed title/text labels front and back.
Wrappers and glassine are in remarkably fine condition. A bit of faint foxing to preliminary sheets (with a few dots to rear wrapper), a bit of faint glue staining to verso and leaf facing tipped-in engraving, else internally clean, tight, and undamaged. Spine of folding portfolio faded and abraded with cracking to front hinge of internal paste-down endpapers, portfolio generally very good. Slipcase cloth is a bit stained and faded with a bit of edge-wear, paper over boards is in excellent condition, slipcase also very good.
Price: $1,500.00