CARZOU Jean

Painter, engraver, and lithographer with a fine and dynamic style, Jean Carzou (1907-2000) is one of the Painters Witnesses of Their Time. Galerie 125 offers a wide selection of his original lithographs and posters. Discover the selection above.

Jean Carzou, the Painter and Lithographer of the Imaginary

Born Karnik Zouloumian, Jean Carzou (1907-2000) was a French painter, engraver, lithographer, and decorator of Armenian origin. His nervous graphics, composed of hatching, metallic lace, and dizzying perspectives, gave birth to a fantastical universe populated by imaginary cities, flower-women, and apocalyptic visions, instantly recognizable.

• 1907: born January 1 in Aleppo, Syria.
• 1924: arrives in Paris thanks to a scholarship from the Armenian community.
• 1928: graduates from the École spéciale d'architecture.
• 1949: Hallmark Prize, first major recognition.
• 1952: sets and costumes for "Les Indes galantes" at the Paris Opera.
• 1977: elected to the Académie des beaux-arts.
• 2000: dies August 12 in Marsac-sur-l'Isle, Dordogne.

From Aleppo to Paris

Born into an Armenian family in Aleppo, educated by Marist Fathers and then at the French Lycée in Cairo, Carzou received a scholarship from the Armenian community to study in Paris. Graduating from the École spéciale d'architecture in 1928, he turned to drawing and painting, initially earning a living as a decorator and drawing teacher. This architectural training marked his entire oeuvre: rigor of perspectives, taste for structures and ironwork.

Post-War Recognition

After the war, Carzou quickly established himself. In 1949, he received the Hallmark Prize and joined the Peintres témoins de leur temps, alongside Bernard Buffet, Bernard Lorjou, and Jean Jansem. His major series, "L'Apocalypse," "Venise," "Paris," "Le Monde moderne," denounce the dehumanization of industrial civilization while celebrating the beauty of cities and women.

Theater and Opera Decorator

Carzou created memorable sets and costumes, notably for Rameau's "Les Indes galantes" at the Paris Opera in 1952, for "Giselle," and for numerous ballets. He also illustrated dozens of bibliophile books, from Rimbaud to Baudelaire, and created the frescoes of the Providence Chapel in Manosque, now the "Fondation Carzou." He was elected to the Académie des beaux-arts in 1977.

A Unique Style

Carzou's line is fine, sharp, almost engraved. His compositions unfold in networks of lines, grids, and volutes, where palaces, cathedrals, ships, horses, and slender female silhouettes emerge. The colors, often limited to a few tones—greens, blues, reds, and golds—enhance the dreamlike and strange atmosphere.

The Lithographed Work and Mourlot Posters

Carzou is one of the greatest lithographers of his time. He produced hundreds of original prints and a very beautiful series of posters, mostly printed by the Mourlot studio: exhibitions at the Vision Nouvelle gallery, Les Arts de Vence gallery, La Gravure gallery, Château-Musée de Cagnes-sur-Mer, in Trouville, or in Japan at Nichido. Their refined graphics and bold colors make them highly decorative pieces, ideal for starting a collection.

Choosing a Jean Carzou Work

• Mourlot posters are high-quality lithographs, very representative of his style.
• Color variations of the same poster, like those from Vision Nouvelle in 1978, allow for beautiful compositions.
• Prints hand-signed in pencil, like "La Majesté," are choice pieces.
• Each work offered by the gallery is precisely described and sold with an invoice-certificate.

Jean Carzou: Prices and Valuation of Works

The price of a Jean Carzou work depends on its technique, the presence of a hand-signed signature, numbering, format, and subject. As an indication, here are the price ranges generally observed on the market, in galleries as well as in public sales:

• Exhibition posters printed in lithography, often at Mourlot: a few dozen euros.
• Original lithographs, signed and numbered in small and medium format: around €125 to €200.
• Original lithographs in large format and sought-after subjects, Notre-Dame, Venice, Versailles: around €250 to €300.
• Original etchings: from €85 for small plates to €450 and more for large ones.
• Drawings, gouaches, and oils on canvas, unique pieces much rarer: starting from several thousand euros.

How much is a Jean Carzou lithograph worth?

An original lithograph signed and numbered by Jean Carzou typically ranges between €125 and €300 depending on its format, subject, and condition. A simple exhibition poster, unsigned, is worth much less. Each work offered by the gallery specifies its exact nature and is sold with an invoice-certificate.

Jean Carzou at Galerie 125

The gallery gathers above around sixty works by Jean Carzou, one of the finest selections online: original lithographs and posters like "Notre Dame, Paris", "L'apocalypse", "Lumière d'été" (Mourlot, 1963), the Vision Nouvelle gallery posters in several colors, from Vence, Trouville, or Nichido, and the signed print "La Majesté". Most are offered starting at €49.50. Compose your selection online: delivery is fast, tracked, and insured, with a certificate. Also discover: Leonor Fini, Félix Labisse, and Salvador Dalí.

Do you own a work by Jean Carzou and wish to sell it? Find out how to proceed on our Sell a work page.