Le Secret

Rene Gruau (1909 – 2004, Italian/French/American) “Le Secret” is a limited-edition color lithograph of a mysterious woman with her finger to her lips. The work of art measures 29 x 20.5 inches (image) and 37 x 29 inches with fillet and linen matting (no frame.) It is signed in white in the lower right and numbered 29/250 with embossed stamps in the lower left.

This image by the renowned fashion designer and illustrator is classic Gruau in its predominantly black and red colors and its depiction of a fashionable and glamorous woman partially obscured by a large hat making a gesture implying a mystery or secret. It was used as the cover of a paperback book by Sibylle Mulot called “Liebeserklaerungen” (Declarations of Love) published October 26, 2001 by Diogenes (a Swiss publisher.)

René Gruau's female images are appealing because they are both beautiful and alluring; simple yet sophisticated. Gruau’s work with color and contrast captures the essence of a woman's beauty and expression.