Description: Etching, aquatint and carborundum in colors, 1969, on Arches, signed in pencil and inscribed "HC", and Hors Commerce, aside from the regular edition of 75 (there were also a few artist's proofs), published by Maeght Editeur, Paris, the full sheet. P. 39 3/8 x 25¼ in. (1016 x 641 mm.) S. 41¼ x 26 7/8 (1048 x 683 mm.). “Le Grand Ordinateur” is a masterpiece from the prolific oeuvre of Joan Miro. Created in his mature stage in the late 1960s, this work exudes confidence in style and composition, and highlights the most recognizable traits of the artist’s visual language based on the purity of poetic emotion and spontaneity of execution. Translated as “The Great Computer”, this etching is more conceptual than abstract, clearly referring to the advances in technology that were happening at the time. Miro’s printed body of work reached its highest point in late 1960s, after the artist was introduced to carborundum (silicon carbide engraving) technique in 1967. This innovative process is actually an advanced etching technique, which requires the use of an abrasive ground (carborundum) added to the etching plate to create a granulated or textured surface. Joan Miro found that by combining this new technique with other etching methods, especially aquatint, he could create images to rival any painting, thereby elevating the art of printmaking above mere reproduction. Carborundum prints created from 1967 through 1969 set an unprecedented standard for quality and set the ground for a fruitful printmaking period in Joan Miro’s career. Museum of Modern Art in New York recognized the progressive nature of this specific series of carborundum prints, dedicating an entire exhibition to them in 1970, titled Joan Miro: Fifty Recent Prints.

Dimensions: 39.375 x 25.25 inches

Artist or Maker: Joan Miro

Medium: Etching, Aquatint and Carborundum

Date: 1969