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Le chef-d'oeuvre inconnu. Eaux-fortes originales et dessins gravés sur bois de Pablo Picasso. - [ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKS EVER PRODUCED]
Paris, Ambroise Vollard, 1931. Large 4to (32 x 24,5 cm). Bound with the original printed wrappers in a splendid, expressive full black morocco-binding with magnificently patterned boards alluding to the reflection on art. Off-centre on both boards is an oval egg-shaped piece made up of small red, green, yellow, and purple calf on-lays in different shapes. The ""egg"" (which is vertical on the front board and horizontal on the back board) is placed inside a larger egg-shape of black calf with white calf onlays in shapes that make up parts of the missing pieces of the larger white morocco on-lays that surround the ""egg"". Yellow suede end-papers with borders in black and white calf respectively. All edges gilt, with single-leaf gilding. Gilt lettering to spine. Binding signed ""Paul Bonet"" to inside of front board and dated ""1955"" to inside of back board. Housed in a chemise with black morocco spine with gilt lettering and a black slip-case with black morocco-edges. With just a touch of minimal edgewear, and the white morocco-onlays a little darkened/soiled from touching. Internally completely fresh. (4 - blank), XIV, (2) pp., (10) ff., 92, (12, including blanks) pp. + 13 engraved plates (including the frontispiece) + the extra suite of 12 etched plates. Fully complete with all the 25 original engraved plates by Picasso, including the 12 of the extra suite, and also richly illustrated in the text, with 67 woodcut illustrations, of which four are full-page, as well as the 16 pages full of woodcut illustrations in lines and dots in the beginning numbered A-P.
Truly magnificent copy, splendidly bound by Bonet, of this magnum opus of modern art, this copy being nr. 9 of 65 copies on Japon impérial (premier papier), signed by Picasso and Vollard and with an extra suite of eaux-fortes on Rives, (out of a total of 340 copies - the 65 first followed by 240 numbered copies on vélin and 35 H.C. Only the 65 first numbered copies are signed by Picasso and the editor and have the extra suite of plates). The great art dealer and famous art publisher Ambroise Vollard (1866–1939) was one of Picasso’s earliest champions. The first dealer to exhibit the artist’s work, Vollard bought his first Picasso painting in 1906 and eventually assembled a renowned collection of the artist’s works. During the 1920'ies, he began publishing Picasso’s prints. 1927 represents a pivotal year in the collabration between Picasso and Vollard. It is then that Vollard asks Picasso to illustrate Balzac's artistically seminal ""Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu"". Balzac's hugely important ""The Unknown Masterpiece"" constitutes one of the most important literary reflections on art, and it came to have an massive influence on modern artists, including Picasso. The work was a part of Balzac'z vast ""La Comedie Humaine"", but unlike most of the other stories here, ""Le Chef d'Oeuvre Inconnu"" was set in the 17th century, in 1612. Three artists are potrayed in this oddly fascinating story, and of these, Poussin and Porbus were real artists of the 17th century, whereas Frenhofer is a purely fictional character. Several of our greatest modern artists came to identify themselves with Frenhofer, eg. Cezanne, who famously said ""Frenhofer, c'est moi"" (I am Frenhofer). Critic Jon Kear argues that Cézanne's own attempts to paint the nude were heavily influenced by Balzac's portrayal of Frenhofer's work. As Cezanne, Picasso also became extremely fascinated by the text while working on the project and also identified with Frenhofer - so much so that he moved to the rue des Grands-Augustins in Paris, where Balzac located Porbus' studio. Picasso lived here during WWII, and it was there that he painted his own masterpiece, Guernica. ""Vollard made a sterling, almost inspired choice in commissioning Picasso... Presenting the genius of Picasso in all its remarkable diversity, Vollard realized the importance of meticulous planning as to the type, paper and general format which would best complement the text and illustrations. How well he succeeded is demonstrated by the volume itself. Not only does it rank as one of the world's most beautiful books, but it establishes Vollard's distinction as a publisher"" (Johnson). ""The diversity, yet harmony of Picasso's genius is represented here by the inclusion of both abstract and classical styles in a single volume. The wood-engravings reproduce Cubist figures, still-lifes, and the sparkling 'constellation drawings' of 1926, while the etchings are classical in character, combining pure line with cross-hatching"" (The Artist and the Book). This magnificent Bonet-binding is described in the ""Carnets"" of Paul Bonet, nr. 1.104. This ""canvas"" of a binding with its focus on the heart of art within the art magnificently alludes to the central theme of Balzac's great novel, which essentially is a grand reflection on art.
[Picasso] - BALZAC, Honoré de - PICASSO, Pablo - BONET, Paul
Reference : 3114
(1931)
LE CHEF-D'ŒUVRE INCONNU. Eaux-fortes de Pablo Picasso. Exemplaire sur Japon, signé, dans une reliure «sculptée» de Paul Bonet (1931).
Paris, Ambroise Vollard Éditeur, 1931. Un volume in-4 (32 x 24 cm). Remarquable reliure "sculptéee de Paul Bonet en plein box bleu nuit et décor polychome en relief, chemise et étui (signée et datée de 1944). - 12 EAUX-FORTES ORIGINALES EN HORS-TEXTE et 1 EAU-FORTE pour la "table des eaux-fortes" GRAVÉES PAR PABLO PICASSO. - UNE SUITE COMPLÈTE DES 12 GRAVURES HORS-TEXTE SUR VÉLIN DE RIVES. - Dessins de l'artiste gravés sur bois par Georges Aubert et tirés en in-texte. Une "préface" de 16 pages de dessins composés de points et de traits dessinés par Picasso en 1924 également gravés sur bois par Aubert. Tirage : 340 exemplaires (65 Japon + 240 vélin de Rives + 35 H.C.). Celui-ci 1 DES 65 EXEMPLAIRES SUR JAPON IMPÉRIAL, LES SEULS SIGNÉS AU PINCEAU PAR PICASSO et monogramés à la plume par Vollard, avec UNE SUITE COMPLÈTE DES 12 GRAVURES HORS-TEXTE SUR VÉLIN DE RIVES. - Dans une extraordinaire reliure "sculptée" de Paul Bonet, datée 1944 : "box bleu corbeau, un grand caisson ovale occupe presque chaque plat, encadrant un grand motif abstrait sculpté et couvert de veau de différentes couleurs vives" (Carnets, n°692), couverture conservée, chemise, étui. Bonet n'a réalisé qu'une poignée de ces fameuses reliures sculptées qui sont très recherchées. Celle-ci étant l'une des plus réussies et des plus élégantes. —— ENGLISH DESCRIPTION: Paris, Ambroise Vollard Éditeur, 1931. Illustrated with 12 original etchings by Pablo Picasso (and 1 for the plate "Table des eaux-fortes") and numerous woodcuts by G. Aubert after the drawings by Picasso. One of 65 NUMBERED ON JAPAN PAPER SIGNED BY PICASSO AND VOLLARD with an EXTRA SUITE of the 12 original etchings on Rives paper. Only the 65 numbered on japan paper are signed by Picasso and Vollard. Mint condition. Outstanding "sculptural" binding by Paul Bonet, dated 1944: "raven blue box, a large oval box occupies almost each cover, framing a large abstract motif carved and covered with calfskin in different bright colors" (Carnets, n°692), cover preserved, folder, case.
Remarquable exemplaire de ce livre majeur. Publié cette même année 1931 que "Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide" édité par Albert Skira, "Le Chef-d'Oeuvre Inconnu" est la première collaboration de Picasso avec le marchand et éditeur Ambroise Vollard. Note historique : En 1926, Ambroise Vollard commande à Picasso des illustrations pour le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu, formidable réflexion balzacienne sur la création picturale. L'artiste réalise quantité d'illustrations, de techniques et de formats divers, et Vollard sélectionne celles qu'il souhaite retenir pour son édition, conseillé par Blaise Cendrars. L'ouvrage, l'un des plus beaux illustrés par Picasso, comprend douze eaux-fortes originales de l'artiste, comme autant de variations du thème classique du peintre et de son modèle. Ces planches côtoient des reproductions gravées sur bois, de dessins tantôt abstraits, tantôt figuratifs, une diversité somme toute en parfaite symbiose avec le propos de Balzac. "Il est évident que [Picasso n'illustre pas] le déroulement scénique du conte, mais bien son contenu profond, et que ce sont les différents aspects de la relation de l'artiste au modèle qui ont retenu son intérêt. Ainsi voyons-nous le peintre regardant amoureusement sa femme peinte ; nous voyons, sous des angles divers, le peintre et son modèle séparés par le chevalet ; nous voyons, variation "picassienne" du thème, la lutte du taureau avec le cheval. Mais il y a aussi le peintre faisant le portrait d'une femme, tandis que celle-ci se trouve derrière lui et l'observe ; ce qui ajoute au vieux thème une dimension moderne, chère à Picasso, celle du rapport entre le spectateur et l'objet regardé : le regardant et le regardé". (References: Bloch 82-94; Geiser-Baer 123-1350; Goeppert/Cramer 20; The Artist & The Book 225; Skira 293; Rauch 53; Monod 763; The Artist & The Book in France p.339; From Manet to Hockney 92; Chapon p.281). - Informations et photographies supplémentaires sur demande personnalisée.
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