Raymond Moretti (1931–2005), The Vitruvian Man (Homage to Leonardo da Vinci) / L'homme de Vitruve (Hommage à Léonard de Vinci), 1982

Artist-made lithograph, framed, measuring 58 x 78 cm;
Limited edition, numbered in pencil 13/150 on the left;
Signed in pencil by Moretti on the lower right;
Publisher: The renowned Parisian publishing house Armand & Georges Israël (which frequently published limited-edition luxury portfolios by, among others, Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau),
printed on hand-operated presses at the Atelier Grapholith (Paris)—run by master printer Claude Jobin.
Moretti personally applied the composition to special lithographic stones or technical plates (a black-and-white version on paper featuring Moretti’s characteristic expressive, gestural brushstrokes andink, contrasting with the precise drawing reminiscent of a Leonardo da Vinci sketch).

Raymond Moretti is a figure who can be described as a “volcano of energy” in 20th-century art. If Picasso was the king of modernism, Moretti was his most dynamic successor. Not only did the artists know each other, but they were also friends, and Moretti was considered one of the few who could keep up with Picasso’s energy.
Moretti and Picasso worked together in studios in the south of France. Picasso once said of Moretti that he had “fire in his fingers.” In this work, that fire is visible in every black line that cuts across the sheet. The framing shown in the photo is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a commercial offer.

Moretti was obsessively in love with jazz. For years, he created covers for *Jazz Magazine*. His style—those jagged, vibrating lines—is the visual equivalent of the improvisations of Louis Armstrong or Ella Fitzgerald.

He was a close friend and collaborator of such giants as Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. He created joint works with Cocteau, which greatly elevated his status in the art world. He is the creator of iconic installations, including the monumental sculpture/installation *Le Moretti* (a 32-meter-tall chimney composed of colorful pipes) in the well-known Parisian business district of La Défense.

This is the perfect piece for collectors seeking outstanding, striking 20th-century art by a renowned artist.