Plate (folio 12) from Il était une petite pie (Once There Was a Little Magpie)

Plate (folio 12) from Il était une petite pie (Once There Was a Little Magpie) by Joan Miró is a striking example of the Spanish artist’s early mastery of graphic arts. This piece, created as a pochoir (stencil print) between 1927 and 1928 and published in 1928, was one of eight illustrations accompanying a limited-edition illustrated book. The use of the pochoir medium allowed Miró to achieve the distinct visual qualities necessary for his nascent Surrealist vocabulary: precise, clean lines combined with rich, flat fields of color.

Miró, a central figure in modern Spanish art, dedicated significant energy to producing prints and illustrating books during the late 1920s, which coincided with his most intense involvement in the Parisian Surrealist movement. Although abstract, this particular work embodies the biomorphic forms and dynamic linear arrangements characteristic of his style from this period. The composition relies on a sparse yet energetic arrangement of shapes, often evoking celestial bodies or microscopic life forms suspended against a neutral background. This focus on line and color demonstrates Miró’s transition from more detailed figuration toward pure artistic freedom.

The inclusion of the print Plate (folio 12) from Il était une petite pie within a luxury livre d’artiste highlights the importance of collaboration between artists and writers in European modernism. This specific impression is part of the distinguished collection at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. The wide dissemination of Miró’s work through prints and graphic media established his enduring reputation internationally. Reference images derived from such original works are often made available through public domain channels, fostering widespread accessibility and continued scholarly interest in Miró’s groundbreaking contribution to 20th-century printmaking.