LÉGER (Fernand). - RIMBAUD (Arthur). The... - Lot 10 - Osenat

LÉGER (Fernand). - RIMBAUD (Arthur). The Illuminations. Preface by Henry Miller. Lausanne, Grosclaude, Éditions des Gaules, 1949. Large in-4, 134 [of which the first 3 are blank]-(6 of which the first and last 3 are blank) pp. in leaves under cover, all placed in publisher's hardback folder and case; some tears, folder and case very worn. Edition of 395 copies signed by the artist and the publisher, this one of the 20 collaborators (No. II, on heavy stained vellum). The preface by Henry Miller is printed in facsimile from a manuscript in his hand. ILLUSTRATION OF 15 LITHOGRAPHS BY FERNAND LEGER, 12 of which are colored stencilled. EXEMPLAIRE ENRICHED with several pieces, including the first 2 as in the first copies: - A DRAWING IN COLOR (Indian ink and color highlights in gouache and watercolor, with the notation "F.L. 48", a study with variants of the composition on p. 19), - A SUITE OF LITHOGRAPHS IN BLACK ON CHINE, - AN AUTOGRAPHIC MANUSCRIFT SIGNED BY HENRY MILLER, TEXT OF HIS PREFACE to the present work, entitled " Voici le temps des assassins ! " (2 pp. 2/3 in-folio, in its French translation, different manuscript from the one reproduced), - 2 AUTOGRAPHIC LETTERS SIGNED BY FERNAND LEGER CONCERNING THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE PRESENT WORK, addressed to the publisher Louis Grosclaude. S.l., June 14, 1948. "I am thinking about your book and the idea comes to me to propose something to you. As "Le Cirque" by Tériade will be in litho in colors, and a very big book of the same series as that of Rouault and Matisse, same dimensions, text by me too, to differentiate our book from this one, if we did it entirely in stencil like Jazz by Matisse? I am writing this because of the commercial situation of the two books. Perhaps it is in our interest that the books be technically different. What do you think? I am working on this Circus very energetically. It's coming along. And I am not forgetting you, believe me. We will make together a very beautiful book. I am sure of it..." (one p. 1/3 in-8). S.l., July 30, 1948. "I think everything is in order. I will execute the last ones these days either here or in Normandy. As for the frontispiece, the colors are to be executed without any lines around it. Only the portrait will be white and black, so it would be interesting that in the handwritten pages at least one is in colored letters. For example "Hortense". Think about it. For the portrait of Rimbaud, I think that the book where there is one reproduced is a Swiss edition. I believe "Pierre Caillé" [the Geneva publisher Pierre Cailler]. See on this side and send me one of these books... ". (one p. in-8). With a copy of the publisher's prospectus for the subscription to the work. Attached, a correspondence of about 50 letters from various correspondents addressed to the gallery owner Pierre Lévy.