“Maternité,” Jean-Baptiste Valadié (b.1933), c.1960s color lithograph, 19×26 in, pencil-signed lower right, edition 61/150.

“Maternité,” Jean-Baptiste Valadié (b.1933), c.1960s color lithograph, 19×26 in, pencil-signed lower right, edition 61/150.

“Maternité” is a signed, limited-edition color lithograph by French painter and printmaker Jean-Baptiste Valadié(b.1933), renowned for his poetic, romantic imagery of women and families. Bathed in glowing yellows, oranges, and soft greens, this intimate mother-and-child composition showcases Valadié’s celebrated School-of-Paris linework and his lyrical blend of abstraction and figurative drawing. Numbered 61/150 and signed in pencil, it offers collectors a classic example of Valadié’s maternal themes with full provenance through Mitch Morse Gallery to Artfind Gallery.

Artwork Description

In “Maternité”, Valadié stages a tender domestic scene: a mother leans protectively over a cradle while a father watches from above, their faces softly illuminated as they gaze at the newborn. The infant lies at the center of the composition, a small but powerful focal point framed by sweeping arcs of bed and blanket.

The print is a color lithograph on fine paper, likely produced in the late 1960s or early 1970s, a period when Valadié was actively exhibiting in Europe, Africa, and the United States. Loose, calligraphic contour lines—drawn in a deep inky tone—define the figures, while layers of transparent color drift across the surface. Warm gold, orange, and amber fieldsmingle with mossy greens, creating a glowing, almost stained-glass atmosphere. Areas of speckling and mottling suggest the spray, spatter, and textural possibilities of the lithographic process, giving the work a modern, abstract underpinning.

Stylistically, the piece sits between lyrical abstraction and figurative romanticism. The faces and hands are delicately modeled, yet much of the surrounding space dissolves into veils of color and texture. This fusion of precise drawing with atmospheric color is central to Valadié’s practice and is one reason critics describe his works as “paintings as delicate as dreams.” The subject—maternal love and family intimacy—recurs through his oeuvre and reflects both the artist’s romantic temperament and the strong Spanish and Mediterranean influences of his travels.

The print is pencil-numbered 61/150 at the lower left margin and pencil-signed “Valadié” at the lower right, with the title Maternité lightly inscribed along the lower center. The sheet measures approximately 19 × 26 inches. As a classic Valadié mother-and-child image in a relatively modest edition, it is particularly appealing to collectors of mid-century European prints, romantic figurative art, and works exploring the theme of family.

Biography of Jean-Baptiste Valadié (b.1933)

Early life and training
Jean-Baptiste Valadié was born on 29 December 1933 in Brive-la-Gaillarde, Corrèze, France. He showed a strong aptitude for drawing early on and moved to Paris to pursue formal art training. There, he studied at the Cours Charpentier in Montparnasse, then enrolled in the École des Arts Appliqués (School of Applied Arts), where he completed a four-year program and earned a diploma in applied art in 1955.

While studying in Paris, Valadié honed his skills as a draftsman around Place du Tertre in Montmartre, drawing portraits and street scenes for tourists—training that sharpened his eye for gesture, line, and character.

Mediums, style and influences
Valadié works across multiple media: painting, printmaking, engraving, lithography, tapestry, sculpture, and illustration. He is best known for his female figures, lovers, and mother-and-child compositions, often set in dreamlike interiors or sun-drenched coastal landscapes. Critics frequently describe his style as romantic and sensual, with thin veils of color layered over elegant, flowing contours.

Valadié has stated that “the work of art is first and foremost the result of fantasy, dreams, irrationality and sensuality”, a credo that perfectly describes the atmosphere of works like Maternité.

Exhibitions and international career
From the mid-1950s onward, Valadié exhibited widely in France and abroad. Your documentation of his career aligns with historical records listing solo shows in Dakar, Paris, Zurich, Sydney, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Cannes, New York, and New Orleans, as well as numerous group exhibitions associated with the School of Paris.

By the 1970s his passion for travel had taken him around the world, with regular exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Scandinavia, Belgium, and across Europe, helping to establish a strong international collector base—particularly for his lithographs and engravings.

Awards and recognition
Valadié received early recognition when the Musée Pédagogique in Paris acquired one of his paintings in 1956. Through the late 1950s and 1960s he was awarded several prizes, including the Prix de la Jeune Peinture, Prix Cézanne, and major awards at salons in Algiers and Paris, confirming his standing within the School of Paris milieu. His documented commissions include major decorative works such as the fresco for the Chapelle de Salins de Giraud in the Camargue.

Over the decades, Valadié’s work has been the subject of multiple monographs and is represented in private and public collections worldwide. Today he is regarded as a key post-war French figurative artist whose work bridges the romanticism of the School of Paris with a more contemporary, graphic approach to line and color.

Connection to “Maternité”
The maternal subject of Maternité reflects a recurring theme in Valadié’s practice: the emotional bond between mother and child, often filtered through a Mediterranean palette and a subtle Spanish influence. Your notes on his sessions in Spain and his series of Spanish children resonate with this print’s intimate, glowing imagery and its emphasis on tenderness and protection.

Jean-Baptiste Valadié (French, b.1933), “Maternité”, c.1960s, color lithograph on paper, 19×26 in, pencil-signed lower right, numbered 61/150 lower left. Warm gold and orange mother-and-child composition by noted School-of-Paris romanticist; excellent example of Valadié’s lyrical line and maternal themes. Provenance: Mitch Morse Gallery; Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.

Certificate of Value & Authentication

Artist: Jean-Baptiste Valadié (French, b.1933)
Title: Maternité
Date: c.1960s–1970s
Medium: Color lithograph on paper
Dimensions: 19 × 26 inches (sheet, approx.)
Edition: 61/150
Signature: Hand-signed “Valadié” in pencil at lower right; numbered 61/150 at lower left; titled Maternité in the lower margin
Condition: Very good vintage condition with minor age-related handling typical for the period.
Authenticity:
– Signature and numbering consistent with known Valadié editions.
– Style, technique, and paper support match documented Valadié color lithographs of the 1960s–70s.
– Provenance from established dealer Mitch Morse Gallery, New York, to Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.

This document affirms that Maternité is an authentic, limited-edition color lithograph by Jean-Baptiste Valadié, created and signed by the artist.

Provenance Chain (Collector-Formatted)

• Jean-Baptiste Valadié (b.1933) – artist
• Mitch Morse Gallery, New York, NY – acquired directly from the artist or from European publishers as part of their Valadié program
• Private holdings via Mitch Morse Gallery
• Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC – current owner