"Musique Chaude" by Emile Bellet Lithograph

"Musique Chaude" by Emile Bellet Lithograph Lithograph in color on wove paper. Signed (lower right) and numbered (lower left) in pencil. From the regular numbered edition of 450 (100 European artist's proofs, 100 artist's proofs, 100 hors commerce proofs, 27 printer's proofs, and 3 bon a tirer impressions also exist). Appraised at $365 Numbered 107/450 Dimensions: 12 inches wide by 15.5 inches tall Actual Image Dimensions: 9.5 inches wide by 13 inches tall "Musique Chaude" roughly translates to "hot music." Emile Bellet’s paintings are known for the mysterious female he included in his compositions. His wife, his daughter, and musings on an idyllic kind of woman were all sources of his inspiration. The familiar female figure used throughout his work is symbolic of his impression of femininity. She represents all women and, for this reason, has no facial expression. She is timeless, ageless, and universal. He also painted her in stages—first in blonde, then in brunette, and finally with red hair. The whimsical movement derived from Bellet’s impasto knife lends a sense of vision to his work, taking the viewer to a passing, momentary location. His settings are ethereal and transient, creating an atmosphere of mystery.