Itzchak Tarkay (1935-2012) "Thoughts of Love" c.19

Updated September 18, 2026

Itzchak Tarkay (Israeli, 1935-2012), "Thoughts of Love," circa 1986-1987, an imposing original limited-edition color serigraph on paper, hand-signed "Tarkay" in graphite at the lower right and individually numbered 84/350. An embossed publisher's blind stamp is visible adjacent to the edition notation.<br><br>One of the quintessential subjects of Tarkay's internationally recognized figurative oeuvre, "Thoughts of Love" presents an elegantly dressed woman absorbed in quiet contemplation. Her dark upswept hair, lowered eyes and brilliant red lips form an intimate psychological focus, while her pale blue-grey blouse and elongated hands emerge against an exuberant orchestration of black, crimson, violet, emerald, ochre, orange and silvery grey. Behind the sitter, dramatically enlarged floral and organic forms dissolve toward abstraction, creating a sophisticated tension between stillness and movement, introspection and decorative theatricality.<br><br>The composition displays the qualities that made Tarkay's work immediately identifiable: lyrical contour, flattened pictorial space, sensuous color relationships and an enduring fascination with the female figure. His visual language has frequently been discussed in relation to the modern French tradition, particularly Henri Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, yet Tarkay developed these influences into a highly individual vocabulary centered upon elegant women, interiors, cafés and moments of private reverie. His mature graphic works translated that painterly sensibility particularly effectively into the demanding medium of multi-color serigraphy. Tarkay's female subjects and rich palette became central characteristics of his internationally collected work.<br><br>"Thoughts of Love" is especially compelling in this substantial vertical format. The solitary sitter commands the composition to a degree not always encountered in Tarkay's multi-figure café scenes, while the expansive surrounding passages of color give the work exceptional wall presence. The broad, intentionally deckled paper edges further reinforce its character as a fine-art print rather than a conventional commercial reproduction. The combination of a recognized Tarkay title, large scale, pencil signature, individual edition number and embossed publisher's mark gives this impression particularly strong collector identification.<br><br>Hand-signed in pencil at lower right and numbered 84/350, with embossed blind stamp nearby. Color serigraph on paper with deckled edges. Presented within a black mat measuring approximately 51 x 36 1/2 inches overall. The colours remain notably strong and saturated and the visible sheet presents attractively, with no significant tears, losses, foxing or staining apparent. The irregular perimeter of the sheet is characteristic of its deckled-edge presentation rather than damage. Not examined outside the mat.

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