Masson, Andre. “Le Torrent”. Original lithograph published in 1952 by Teriade in Verve Magazine Vol 7.

Le Torrent (The Torrent) is an original colour lithograph created by the French artist André Masson in 1952.

It was commissioned by the Paris publisher Teriade and issued as a double-page spread for the prestigious art revue Verve, in Volume 7, Number 27-28.

The work is typically plate-signed (the signature is part of the print plate), with centre fold as published.

The lithograph is a fine example of Masson’s work, which bridges Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.

Known for exploring themes of sexuality, violence, metamorphosis, and death, Masson employed automatic drawing techniques to channel his subconscious, a style evident in the dynamic and “tortured natural forms” depicted in Le Torrent.

The image itself is a landscape that conveys a sense of powerful, rushing natural energy, consistent with the title.