Université de Genève

Collection assembled by the artist of 82 lithographs created between 1939 and 1940 after his drawings. All are portraits of the teaching staff of the University of Geneva, in black or lithographic crayon, and bear as caption the name of the model and the author's signature, as well as a date. We may distinguish the portrait of Jean Piaget, which was widely used as an image of the psychologist. The paper usually employed is that used for drawing, and the qualities of the lithography suggest that these are original drawings; it is thought that the author possessed his own press and made his lithographs.
Contemporary full marbled citron sheep binding. Smooth spine, silver title. On the cover, in silver letters: Université de Genève, with the arms below, and at bottom right: Oscar Lazar, 1941. Rubbing and some surface wear. The artist would have his collections of original drawings similarly bound, this binding serving as a personalized binding for Lazar's works.
Inscription: Dédié à Monsieur Albert Lagier. Chêne-Bougerie, le 20.IV. 1942. Lazar. ["Dedicated to Monsieur Albert Lagier. Chêne-Bougerie, 20.IV. 1942. Lazar."] Albert Lagier was then rector of the Academy of Geneva.
Draughtsman and portraitist of Hungarian origin, Oscar Lazar settled in Geneva in 1924. He published several works on Genevan, Swiss and international personalities after his drawings (Rotary, Saint-Moritz, Zurich, League of Nations). The Geneva library possesses original drawings.