Plate (folio10) from Il était une petite pie (Once There Was a Little Magpie)

Plate (folio10) from Il était une petite pie (Once There Was a Little Magpie) is a critical early graphic work by the Spanish artist Joan Miró, executed in 1927. This piece is a pochoir, a refined stencil technique used to apply color, and was created as part of an illustrated book containing a total of eight such prints. The complete book, a notable example of the livre d'artiste format, was produced between 1927 and 1928 and subsequently published in Paris in 1928.

As an illustrated book plate, the work showcases Miró's engagement with emerging Surrealist ideas during his formative years in Paris, filtered through a distinctively Spanish sensibility. The pochoir technique allowed Miró to achieve flat, vibrant color fields and sharp outlines, emphasizing the dynamic, biomorphic shapes that characterize his developing visual language. While abstract, the imagery in folio 10 retains a playful, lyrical quality consistent with the artist’s broader exploration of subconscious imagery and mythological symbols of the period. The aesthetic is intentionally simplified yet evocative, utilizing rudimentary geometry and expressive linearity to convey movement and form.

The inclusion of this work in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) underscores its significance within the history of modern graphic arts. Miró’s early experiments with printmaking, such as the suite Il était une petite pie (Once There Was a Little Magpie), established precedents for 20th-century artistic publishing. These highly sought-after original prints are essential documentation of the artist’s transition toward his mature abstract style. Like many important historical prints held by major institutions, access to high-resolution images of this work is often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring that Miró’s groundbreaking contribution to the illustrated book remains accessible for study and appreciation worldwide.