Historic Artists
From 1926 to 1960, Cahiers d’Art forged close relationships with many of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Renowned figures such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Fernand Léger, and André Masson created exclusive lithographs and original works for its pages, establishing a unique dialogue between art and publishing.
Under the visionary direction of Christian Zervos, Cahiers d’Art became a creative laboratory where modern art evolved in real time. The publication featured groundbreaking collaborations with artists including Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Alexander Calder, Le Corbusier, and Wassily Kandinsky, among others. These partnerships not only documented the emergence of modernism but actively shaped its trajectory, positioning Cahiers d’Art as both witness and catalyst to one of the most dynamic periods in art history.
Artist Quotes
“A picture is not thought out and settled beforehand. While it is being done, it changes as one’s thoughts change. And when it is finished, it still goes on changing, according to the state of mind of whoever is looking at it. A picture lives a life like a living creature… the picture lives only through the person who is looking at it.”
Pablo Picasso — Cited in “Conversation with Christian Zervos”, Cahiers d’Art, 1935.
“Slowness, peace, silence, space. The Calder mobile I’m talking about doesn’t have a name, but it could be called ‘Harmony of the Spheres.’”
Alexander Calder — Georges Mounin, “L’objet Calder”, Cahiers d’Art 1945-46, pp. 334-335.