a perfect impression of the second plate from Eaux-Fortes originales pour les Textes de Buffon, the series of 31 etchings commissioned by Vollard in 1936 but eventually published by Martin Fabiani in 1942 after Vollard's tragic death in a motor accident.
on Montval wove paper with full margins, deckles on upper and lower edges
one of only 47 signed impressions therefore extremely scarce
in very good condition

It was Vollard's intention to publish an abridged version of George Louis le Clerc, Comte de Buffon's 44 volume book of natural history published between 1749 and 1804, which for more than a century was the standard reference for all known mammals, birds and insects. When issued by Fabiani there were 31 plates selected by Picasso; the printer was Roger Lacouriére who had just introduced Picasso to the technique of lift ground aquatint which makes a range of subtle tones of grey through to black possible