"Marcelle Léoni" Color Lithograph by Kees van Dongen

Name: "Marcelle Léoni" Color Lithograph by Kees van Dongen
Brand: Lizzeny
Availability: LimitedAvailability

Framed 1959 color lithograph 'Marcelle Léoni' by Kees van Dongen depicting a woman with large dark eyes and a white collared blouse. - view 1

1/3

Estimated value

$4,000 - $8,000

Rarity

Scarce(6/10)

Type

Museum Object

"MARCELLE LÉONI" COLOR LITHOGRAPH BY KEES VAN DONGEN: IDENTIFICATION

A 1959 color lithograph titled 'Marcelle Léoni' by Kees van Dongen, printed by the Mourlot studio in Paris on Arches paper. The portrait features a woman with van Dongen's characteristic oversized, deeply shadowed eyes, a sharp bob haircut, and a pristine white collared blouse accented by a dark bow tie, set against a cool blue and grey background. The piece exhibits a pencil signature reading 'van Dongen' in the lower right margin, housed beneath a white mat in a dark wooden frame with a silver inner lip.

Compare with other prints in the archive: Kees van Dongen (after) - Ludmilla Pitoëff in 'Sainte Jeanne', 1925, Abstract Mixed Media Print ('Monoprint'), Abstract Chromatic Lithograph by A. Vrede.

PRINT LINEAGE

Kees van Dongen was a principal member of the Fauves, heavily involved in the School of Paris portraiture movement. Produced late in his career in 1959, this lithograph reflects his enduring focus on elongated, stylized female traits. The piece was executed at Mourlot Frères, a premier fine art ...

COLLECTOR NOTES

This specific edition of 200 was printed by Mourlot Frères, the same Parisian workshop commissioned by artists such as Picasso and Matisse during the 1950s.

SCARCITY

Scarce80-90%

CommonLegendary

Genuinely harder to find. Perhaps only dozens come to market annually. Collectors actively watch for these pieces.

Rarity 6/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 4 prints items at rarity 6 or higher.

Typical Characteristics

Dozens per year at market
Documented provenance valued
Active collector pursuit

Confidence Factors

Present in a gallery setting with explicit catalogue raisonné references (Juffermans JL 30).
Visual printing characteristics align with known Mourlot lithographs from 1959.
The gallery tag explicitly identifies the edition size (200) and paper type (Arches).

How does authenticity detection work?

PRINT SPECIALIST'S TAKE

Museum-Trained Art Historian

Connoisseur

The presence of a detailed gallery tag with specific catalogue raisonné citations (JL 30) strongly supports the identification, though the discrepancy regarding the signature location (front versus back) slightly tempers absolute certainty without unframed physical inspection.

KEY EVIDENCE

1Pencil signature 'van Dongen' visible in the lower right margin.
2Gallery label definitively identifies the work as 'Marcelle Léoni' (1959).
3Label cites definitive authoritative reference 'Juffermans: JL 30'.
4Label indicates an edition of 200 printed by Mourlot on Arches paper.

UNCERTAINTIES

•The gallery label actively states 'gesigneerd en genummerd op achterzijde' (signed and numbered on the reverse), yet a 'van Dongen' signature is clearly visible on the front margin, necessitating physical inspection to reconcile the discrepancy.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

→Unframe the piece to examine the reverse side, verifying if the edition numbering (out of 200) is present as the gallery label claims.
→Examine the paper edges under raking light to locate the Arches watermark.

CONDITION & GRADE

Excellent

Grading breakdown

Assessment is limited by glass reflection, but the visible paper margin is clean, and the ink layers remain vibrant with no obvious margin foxing.

Condition

The lithograph appears in Very Good condition beneath the unexamined glass. There is no visible foxing, moisture damage, or profound UV fading apparent on the exposed image area or lower margin.

PRINT MARKET VALUATION

$4,000 - $8,000

Updated: May 11, 2026

Who buys this

Collectors of School of Paris prints, mid-century European lithography enthusiasts, and buyers seeking vetted auction or gallery-tier 20th-century art.