Les Murs - 12 Poèmes de Guillevic

Jean Dubuffet's illustrations for the book 'Les Murs' (The Walls) represent a milestone in his career as a printmaker and his broader artistic development. Created in 1945, these lithographs demonstrate Dubuffet's emerging interest in unconventional materials and textures, which would later become hallmarks of his art brut aesthetic. The illustrations, depicting graffiti-like figures and primitive forms, reflect Dubuffet's fascination with the raw, unfiltered expressions found in the urban environment. The project also aligned with his exploration of lithography, a technique he employed extensively throughout his career to achieve unique visual effects. His experimental approach to printmaking often pushed the boundaries of traditional techniques, in an effort to translate his distinctive style into print form. The illustrations not only foreshadow Dubuffet's later, more complex printmaking endeavors but also embody his philosophical rejection of academic art in favor of more immediate and therefore authentic modes of expression.