Raymond MORETTI (1931-2005) - Lot 231

Raymond MORETTI (1931-2005) Study, bull and passing figure Ink and gouache on paper Signed "Moretti" and dated lower left 10.5 x 15.5 cm This lot will be returned to the studio for collection on the day of the sale at Drouot in rooms 14 and 15, or after the sale at 22 rue des Belles Feuilles 75116 PARIS by prior appointment (please reserve a slot on our website). NOTICE Raymond Raphaël Auguste Moretti, a prolific artist from Nice, was attracted to the visual arts from an early age. He began painting in his teens, and at sixteen produced his first major work, Moïse brisant les Tables de la Loi (Moses Breaking the Tables of the Law), which was exhibited at the University Museum in Jerusalem, an early sign of his vocation and of the international renown his work was to enjoy. Moretti asserts a personal artistic language, nourished by experimentation and a pronounced taste for large formats. His practice naturally brought him into contact with major figures on the cultural scene, including Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso, whose friendship and support testified to his inclusion in the creative circles of his time. From the early 1970s, Moretti made a name for himself by signing the covers of Magazine littéraire, becoming its regular illustrator from 1972 to 2004, giving the magazine a strong, instantly recognizable visual identity. Alongside his graphic work, he designed monumental works in the public space, including Le Monstre, a protean sculpture installed in the basement of La Défense in Paris in 1973, revealing his bold approach to art in architecture, combining diverse materials and spectacular scale. Another emblematic achievement is Le Moretti, the artistic cladding of a 32 m-high ventilation shaft covered with colored tubes, which dialogues with the urban landscape of La Défense. Moretti is also known for his posters, illustrations for literary works (including Rimbaud's Les Illuminations, which won an international award) and some 30 postage stamps created for the French Post Office. Moretti's graphic style is distinguished by an immediate visual power and refined expressiveness, where the energy of the line coexists with a bold palette. In his posters and graphic creations, Moretti imposes a visual style that is both spontaneous and masterful. True to a modern sensibility, his graphic pieces navigate between controlled abstraction and suggestive figuration, creating a visual tension that characterizes the singular aesthetic of his work. He leaves behind an abundant and striking body of work, still present in public collections, urban spaces and the art market.