Toyen (Marie Cerminova), (1902 – 1980), Sans Titre, around 1955 oil, gouache, silver paint, ink on canvas 16 x 10 cm (29 x 18,5 cm) original adjustment and original frame Provenance: - private collection of André Breton (1896–1966), the famous founder and main theoretician of the Surrealist movement, writer and a poet, who was gifted this work by Toyen in 1950s - private collection of André Breton’s daughter Aube Elleouet-Breton - gallery 1900–2000 Paris - private collection, Paris An expert’s report written by Dr Karel Srp attached: ‘Toyen was able to express her inter- nal feelings even on smaller-scale works, often linked to her drawings. This is the case of a series of smaller paintings, which include the present fantastical feline head on a blue background. In the early 1950s, Toyen was interested in combining two similar profiles, the connection of which would create a single face. She has thus continued the long- -standing artistic tradition of depicting typified heads, expressively exploring their psyche. In this instance, she depicted her favourite feline, a subject she has been interested in for decades. Here, she focused exclusively on the feline’s head set against intangible empti- ness. Even today, we can feel the head forming itself in front of us slowly from the layers of white paint, interrupted by sharp ink lines that represent the cat’s whiskers. With the combination of gouache and ink, Toyen creates a ghost that turns to the viewer and stirs up strong emotion. In this work, Toyen showed off her ability to master any expression.’ The famous poet and writer Andre? Breton, considered the founder and main theoretician of Surrealism, often compared Toyen’s eyes to the depths of light. Their relationship was one of mutual respect. In 1934, the main leader of the Czech Surrealist circle Toyen invited Andre?ho Breton to Prague. In autumn of the same year, she designed the cover for the Czech edition of Breton’s Communicating Vessels. In January 1934, the first Czech Surrealist exhibition opened, with Breton and Paul Eluard in attendance. After the Second World War, in 1947, Toyen left Paris permanently and joined Andre? Breton’s Surrealist group. She introduced her work at a solo exhibition in Galerie Denise ene?. The introduction to the exhibition catalogue was written by Andre? Breton. Toyen participated in most of the group’s joint exhibitions and earned boundless admi- ration from the young Surrealists. After Breton’s death in 1966, Elise Breton Toyen offered Toyen to take over Breton’s atelier in rue Fontaine. The painted continued to live there until her death in 1980. An authenticity confirmation by Aube Elleouet-Breton, André Breton’s daughter, attached. Consulted with Professor Jaromir Zemina, Dr Karel Srp, Dr Jiri Machalicky, Aneta Kopecka and Vladimir Lekes. Auction, Prague, Czech Republic.