Masked Pheasant (Faisan masque) 

Jean Lurçat created this print, Masked Pheasant, using lithography, a process that democratized artmaking in the 20th century. Unlike unique paintings, lithographs can be produced in multiples, making art more accessible. The lithographic process begins with a stone or metal plate, on which the artist draws an image using a greasy crayon or ink. The plate is then treated so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas, allowing the image to be printed onto paper. Lurçat’s design, featuring a stylized pheasant surrounded by foliage and abstract motifs, is rendered with a graphic simplicity that suits the medium well. Lurçat was deeply involved in the revival of tapestry, embracing its potential for large-scale, public art. Here, you can see he brings a similar sensibility to printmaking, emphasizing bold outlines and flattened forms. The image itself, with its somewhat mysterious title, invites us to consider themes of nature, disguise, and the artist's own engagement with different creative traditions. Lurçat asks us to look beyond conventional hierarchies of art and craft.