Etching on vélin pur chiffon de Rives paper. Unsigned and unnumbered. Paper Size: 9.875 x 12.875 inches. Excellent condition. Notes: From the folio, Alternance, 1946. Published by Le Gerbier, Paris; printed by atelier Quesneville, Paris, March 2, 1946. Excerpted from the folio (translated from French), Printing was finished on March 2, 1946 on the presses of atelier Quesneville for thirteen etchings; on the presses of Lacourière for the etchings by Henri Matisse and Dignimont; the etching of J.G. Daragnes was engraved by himself; the typography, which is composed of Garamond was printed on the presses of the Master Printer, G. Girard. This collection of sixteen original etchings, alternating with sixteen unpublished writings, CCC examples have been drawn, including XXXVIII on Monival and hand numbered from I to XXXVIII; and, CCLXII on Rives BFK, numbered from XXXIX to CCC. XL examples have been drawn for hors commerce on Lana a la forme have been numbered form of I to XL. VALENTIN HUGO (1887-1968) was a French artist and writer. She was born Valentine Marie Augustine Gross, only daughter to Auguste Gross and Zélie Démelin, in Boulogne-sur-Mer. She is best known for her work with the Russian ballet and with the French Surrealists. Hugo met Andre Breton in 1917, before the start of Surrealism, at one of Cocteau's readings. Her friendships with Breton and Eluard would keep her connected to the Surrealists as the movement developed, and help her to form connections with other members, such as Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst. The three often traveled together, along with other members of the movement, in 1931 and 1932. As the only member of the group who owned a vehicle, Hugo would drive her companions to their destinations. Valentine and Jean began living apart in 1926, and eventually divorced in 1932. Her separation from her husband allowed Hugo greater freedom to be involved with the Surrealist group. She moved into the same building as Eluard and Breton in May 1932. Hugo joined the Bureau of Surrealist Research and created the Objet à fonctionnement symbolique (1931), which was shown during the Exposition surréalistic in 1933. She took part in other exhibitions throughout her time with the group, including an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in 1936. She died in Paris.