Park West Dali Divine Comedy Collection

The Divine Comedy suite of illustrations consists of 100 color wood engravings created between 1960 and 1964 after 100 watercolors painted between 1951 and 1960. The 100 Divine Comedy engravings were created from over 3000 blocks.

While Dali's forays into prolific printmaking in the 1970s and 80s were often embedded in controversy, this series of graphic works was strictly controlled. Working in conjunction with Salvador Dali, Mr. Raymond Jacquet, with his assistant Mr. Tarrico, created the blocks necessary for the engraving process. While frequently referred to as "wood" blocks, they were actually a resin-based matrix. Salvador Dali directly supervised the production of the works and gave final approval for each of the finished engravings.

Once the project was complete, all of the Divine Comedy blocks were destroyed. The engraving process required the block be cut, a single color applied, then printed to the substrate (e.g. paper, silk, etc.) The block was then cleaned and cut away for the next color. As the engravings were made, the image was progressively "printed," and the block was progressively destroyed. The process required great skill and resulted in works of spectacular beauty which cannot be reproduced in a manner that is not detectable as a reproduction, even to the casual observer.

In the early 1950's Dali was invited by the Italian government to commemorate Dante's birth by producing a series of illustrations for a full-text, deluxe edition of The Divine Comedy, to be published by La Libreria dello Stato in Rome. Ultimately, the illustrations were not well received by the Italians, as it was deemed inappropriate for a Spanish painter (rather than an Italian painter) to have illustrated the masterpiece of Italy's greatest poet.

Even though the project was dropped in Italy, Dali and French publisher Joseph Foret continued to pursue publication of The Divine Comedy. Mr. Foret acted as broker between Salvador Dali and Les Heures Claires, a French editing and publishing house that ultimately took full charge of the project. Jean Estrade, the Artistic Director, worked closely with expert engravers to create the works under Dali's supervision. Wood engraving was the medium chosen due to its ability to recreate subtle washes and delicate lines.

The Divine Comedy suite consists of 100 color wood engravings created between 1960 and 1964 after 100 watercolors painted between 1951 and 1960. Mr. Raymond Jacquet and his assistant Mr. Tarrico created the engravings with the participation and final approval by Dali. More than 3,000 blocks were necessary to complete the engraving process.

Mr. Jean Estrade, Artistic Director (l'Editeur) for Editions Les Heures Claires, Paris, working directly with Salvador Dali and Mr. Jacquet, was the exclusive editor for the Divine Comedy. Also working with Mr. Estrade was Antoine Branducci, Honorary Administrator of Les Heures Claires. Mr. Estrade was succeeded by Mr. Daniel David, current Director of Les Heures Claires.

None of editions of the Divine Comedy were released with hand signatures by Salvador Dali. The editor, Mr. Jean Estrade of Les Heures Claires, over a period of years, had Dali sign complete sets. These sets were sold by Les Heures Claires to prominent art dealers and private collectors. In addition, Dali was commissioned to sign suites of the Divine Comedy purchased from Les Heures Claires for several prominent collectors including Marc Ways. Dali also signed sets that had been acquired by Dr. Giuseppe Albaretto, friend and patron of Salvador Dali. In addition, sets were signed for three different galleries - Orangerie Galerie of Cologne, Germany; Lublin Fine Arts of Greenwich, Connecticut; and Transworld Art of New York.

Salvador Dali granted the publishing rights to this work to the publishing house Les Heures Claires in Paris. Mr. Jean Estrade, Artistic Director for Les Heures Claires, worked directly with Salvador Dali and Mr. Raymond Jacquet and was the exclusive editor for the Divine Comedy. Also working with Mr. Estrade was Antoine Branducci, Honorary Administrator of Les Heures Claires. Mr. Estrade was succeeded by Mr. Daniel David, current Director of Les Heures Claires. Editions of the Divine Comedy were printed and released as deluxe portfolios by Les Heures Claires.

Edition Information
It is the characteristics of the various editions of the Divine Comedy that enable collectors to understand the rarity and provenance of Divine Comedy works. Earlier editions included not only the 100 engravings, but also original watercolors, inked copper plates and decompositions (images that include one or more of the ink colors shown in progressive stages, color by color). Characteristics of the editions are as follows:

1 Portfolio containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper mounted on Japon Nacre paper including the text of the Divine Comedy, nine original watercolors; three inked copper plates, each bearing an engraved outline of one of the images of the Divine Comedy, on silk, from engraved copper plates; a suite of 100 engraved outlines of the images of the Divine Comedy; on Rives Paper, from engraved plates; one decomposition of the colors of one image; this set numbered I.
2 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper mounted on Japon Nacre paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; six original watercolors; one inked copper plate, bearing an engraved outline of an image of the Divine Comedy; a suite of 100 engraved outlines of the images of the Divine Comedy, on silk, from engraved copper plates; one decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered II and III.
5 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper mounted on Japon Nacre paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; three original watercolors; one inked copper plate, bearing an engraved outline of an image of the Divine Comedy; a suite of 100 engraved copper plates; one decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered IV to VIII.
13 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper mounted on Japon nacre paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; one original watercolor; a suite of 100 engraved outlines of the images of the Divine Comedy, on silk, from engraved copper plates; a decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered IX to XXI.
15 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; an additional suite of the 100 wood engravings on Rives paper; one inked copper plate, bearing an engraved outline of an image of the Divine Comedy; and additional suite of the 100 wood engravings on Rives paper; one inked copper plate, bearing an engraved outline of an image of the Divine Comedy; a suite of 100 engraved outlines of the images of the Divine Comedy, on Rives paper, from engraved copper plates; a decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered 1 to 15.
150 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; an additional suite of the 100 wood engravings on Rives paper; a suite of 100 engraved outlines of the images of the Divine Comedy, on Rives paper, from engraved copper plates; a decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered 16 to 165.
350 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper including the text of the Divine Comedy; a decomposition of the colors of one image; these sets numbered 516 to 865.
3,900 Portfolios containing:
the suite of 100 color wood engravings* on Rives paper including the text of the Divine Comedy.

There were also some proofs of the images printed on silk and on Japon Nacre paper. Published by Editions Les Heures Claires, 19 Rue Bonaparte, Paris, France, Jean Estrade, Editor

The Divine Comedy engravings offered by Park West Gallery come primarily from the later portfolios of engravings alone, although the Park West Collection includes some copper engravings and decompositions.

Park West has acquired the majority of Divine Comedy engravings offered for sale from primarily three collections. These are the Jean Estrade Collection (Les Heures Claires), the Marc Ways Collection and the Albaretto Collection. All of these individuals were not only friends and business associates of Dali, they were also prominent collectors of his artwork.

Les Heures Claires/Jean Estrade, Daniel David
Mr. Estrade, editor of Les Heures Claires, retained hand-signed sets of the Divine Comedy. Each of these engravings bears Mr. Estrade's blindstamp and may have the hand signature on the verso (on the back) of Jean Estrade or Daniel David (current Director of Les Heures Claires.)

The Marc Ways Collection
Dali also hand-signed sets for the art dealer Marc Ways, who met and spent time with the artist. Many of these engravings are also signed on the verso (back) by either Jean Estrade or Antoine Branducci (Honorary Administrator of Les Heures Claires.)

The Albaretto Collection
In 1974 Dr. Giuseppe Albaretto, patron, friend, publisher and patriarch of what was commonly known as Dali's "Italian family," arranged for the artist to hand-sign sets of the Divine Comedy.

All of these works from the Albaretto Collection bear the blindstamp of Jean Estrade, editor for Les Heures Claires, the publisher of the Divine Comedy. Dr. Albaretto became the owner of Les Heures Claires, Italy following the publication of the Divine Comedy.

Full Signature in Sepia Ink
In 1964, close friend, benefactor and publisher of Dali's works, Dr. Giuseppe Albaretto was asked by Mr. Joseph Gaurrand, a prominent collector, to commission Dali to hand-sign ten suites of the Divine Comedy. The conditions the collector imposed were simple; he wanted a full signature, "Salvador Dali" signed on each example, and he wanted the works signed in sepia ink.

Dr. Albaretto arranged to have Dali sign the works. After documenting, numbering and certifying each work, the suites were presented to Mr. Gaurrand, whereupon they were preserved unframed until 2003 when they were acquired by Park West Gallery.

Each individual engraving is numbered on the back in ink and bears the blindstamp of Jean Estrade (Artistic Director for Les Heures Claires). A certificate signed by Dali and Robert Blairon (Director General and one of the founders of Les Heures Claires) attesting to the authenticity of the works, and the agreement to only produce ten suites signed in this manner, also exists for each of the ten suites.

"Though an allegory, The Divine Comedy represents Dante's personal quest for the meaning of life in his last years. Botticelli directed all his attention to illustrating the work late in life, Blake was on his deathbed. Only Dore, as a true Romantic, conceived his project to illustrate Dante when a young man.

Although Dali was only middle aged, his tremendous fear of death, exacerbated as it was by the war, his turn toward mysticism and religious subjects, and his adherence to surrealism and figuration in an era dominated by abstract art gave his series of images related to The Divine Comedy the kind of retrospective and introspective tenor that one might expect at the end of one's career when death seems near and the future is uncertain..."

Read the full essay