Writing to publisher Gérald Cramer about his work on this book of poems by Paul Éluard, Joan Miró stated that his goal for was “to make a book, not illustrate it, which is always somewhat secondary.” Miró spent ten years developing and refining the 80 compositions, printed from 233 woodblocks undergoing 42,000 passes through the press. The artist worked closely with Cramer and Éluard to harmonize image and text. Here, the last few lines of Éluard’s poem “Prowler with Brow of Glass” stretch across the spread to reach Miró’s figure: "Her eyes light up full of laughter her playful eyes win their share of clarity."