Óscar Domínguez

ÓSCAR DOMÍNGUEZ (La Laguna, Tenerife, 1906 – Paris, 1957)
“Illustration project for André Breton’s book (Anthology of Black Humor),” 1945
Decal featuring a white-line linocut plate, black ink, and green lithographic ink.
Comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by the Association of Experts and Heirs in Defense of the Work of Óscar Domínguez.
Work framed with museum-grade glass.
Signed.
Measurements: 22 x 34 cm; 37.5 x 49.5 cm (frame).
The work is part of a series of graphic experiments created by Óscar Domínguez in 1945 to illustrate the deluxe edition of *Anthologie de l’humour noir* by the writer and Surrealist theorist André Breton. For this project, the artist developed what is known as the “magic print,” an experimental process that combined white-line linocut with the decalcomania technique and lithographic printing. This combination allowed him to integrate the precision of the engraved drawing with the spontaneous textures and unpredictable forms produced by chance, resulting in compositions of a fantastical nature and great visual richness. The collaboration between the two artists represents a significant chapter in postwar Surrealist graphic experimentation, in which Domínguez extended his explorations of automatism and non-rational creative processes toward new technical and expressive possibilities.
Domínguez arrived in Paris in 1927 and began frequenting the artistic circles of Montparnasse. In 1934, he joined Breton’s Surrealist circle, where he crossed paths with figures such as Paul Éluard, Benjamin Péret, Max Ernst, and Marcel Jean. His spontaneous personality and unique imagination—deeply rooted in the volcanic landscapes and natural environment of the Canary Islands—brought a distinct sensibility to the movement. Breton found in his experimental techniques a particularly interesting manifestation of Surrealist principles, especially in the search for images arising from chance and the workings of the unconscious. One of the most important moments in this collaboration was the discovery and development of decalcomania. Domínguez began experimenting with this technique around 1934–1935, and Breton was fascinated by its possibilities; he contributed decisively to its theoretical dissemination with the article “Des décalcomanies du désir” (1936), published in the journal *Minotaure*.
In 1940, André Breton published *Anthologie de l’humour noir*, a collection of texts by authors such as Swift, Carroll, Jarry, and Kafka, in which he championed humor as a tool for transgressing social and moral conventions. The edition included a project for artistic covers initially commissioned from Marcel Duchamp, which was interrupted by World War II. Finally, in 1945, following the Liberation of France, the project was resumed, and Óscar Domínguez was entrusted with creating the original covers for the deluxe editions.
Óscar Domínguez was one of the leading figures of Spanish Surrealism and a key figure in the international avant-garde of the 20th century. Self-taught in the arts, he moved to Paris in 1927, where he came into contact with avant-garde movements. His work is represented in major international public collections, including the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid, which holds 56 of his works; the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York; the MAPFRE Foundation; and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum.