Preliminary identification
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a magnificent, heavily embossed color lithograph on handmade paper by the renowned Spanish artist Alvar Sunol. Titled 'Entre les Rives du Jourdain' (Between the Banks of the Jordan), it beautifully marries rich, painterly color zones with dramatic, uninked blind-embossed sculptural reliefs that rise from the paper's surface.
Story
Created by Spanish master Alvar Sunol, this piece explores biblical and human connection. The French title translates to 'Between the Banks of the Jordan,' referencing a spiritual threshold of peace, family, and transition.
Maker / Origin
Born in Montgat, Spain in 1935, Alvar Sunol is a contemporary of Picasso and Miró who achieved early acclaim, winning the Young Painter's Prize in Barcelona at just 18. His signature style blends classical Renaissance-style human forms with modern surrealism, often utilizing complex printmaking techniques to give his flat works a three-dimensional, sculptural presence.
Condition & Value
The print appears to be in excellent condition with no visible foxing, staining, or fading to the rich pigments. The deep embossing remains crisp and highly dimensional, and it is housed in a professional gallery-quality double mat and gilt frame. Excellent preservation of the paper's texture and embossing commands a premium.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.