Le Torrent (The Torrent) is an original colour lithograph created by the French artist André Masson in 1952.
It was commissioned by the Paris publisher Teriade and issued as a double-page spread for the prestigious art revue Verve, in Volume 7, Number 27-28.
The work is typically plate-signed (the signature is part of the print plate), with centre fold as published.
The lithograph is a fine example of Masson's work, which bridges Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism.
Known for exploring themes of sexuality, violence, metamorphosis, and death, Masson employed automatic drawing techniques to channel his subconscious, a style evident in the dynamic and "tortured natural forms" depicted in Le Torrent.
The image itself is a landscape that conveys a sense of powerful, rushing natural energy, consistent with the title.
