Enrico Baj - Lithograph, Title, Der kleine General

Lithograph by Enrico Baj, from the portfolio Die Kunst Der Graphik, published by Die Galerie, Offenbach/Main. Signed and numbered in pencil. Enrico Baj (1924–2003) was an Italian artist known for his satirical and eclectic approach to painting, collage, and assemblage. Born in Milan, he studied at the Brera Academy and was strongly influenced by Dada, Surrealism, and the CoBrA movement. In 1951, he co-founded Nuclear Art, a movement that responded to the atomic age with grotesque and chaotic imagery, often laced with black humor and political criticism. In his work, Baj frequently used collage techniques, such as fabric, embroidery, mirrors, buttons, wallpaper, and other found materials, to create richly textured compositions. His series "Generals," one of his most famous works, satirized military figures by constructing them from ostentatious medals, brocade, and kitschy elements, thereby emphasizing their absurdity and vanity. He also frequently used collage in his series "Ladies," in which female figures were constructed in a similar manner from decorative materials, through which he criticized ideas of aristocracy and excess.