Georges AURIC

First edition, one of 200 numbered copies on “light green paper,” the only deluxe paper issue announced.

Turquoise half morocco binding, smooth spine, date in gilt at foot, marbled paper boards, endpapers, and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt; an elegant contemporary binding signed by G. Gauché.

A very handsome copy, finely bound by Georges Gauché and complete with its publisher's prospectus. 

Signed presentation inscription by René Crevel: "My dear Georges, here, in its finest form: Diderot’s Harpsichord, if you can help him play his music? With all my affection. René" (our own translation)

Autograph letter dated and signed by Georges Auric addressed to his friend Carlo Rim, 23 lines in blue ink on letterhead of the Réunion des théâtres lyriques nationaux et du théâtre de l'Opéra de Paris, in which he asks for his friend's indulgence as he is overwhelmed with work: "Pardonne-moi si je ne t'ai pas répondu encore : tu peux imaginer sans trop de peine ce qu'est devenue mon existence ! ... je viens d'avoir à préparer la reprise d'Iphigénie en Tauride - opéra des plus nobles et que "notre" public n'avait pas eu l'occasion d'écouter depuis 1931 " ["Forgive me if I haven't answered you yet: you can imagine without too much trouble what my existence has become! ... I have just had to prepare the revival of Iphigénie en Tauride - one of the noblest operas and one that "our" public has not had the opportunity to hear since 1931"]; a revival in which Georges Auric places great hope: "... En tout cas, je veux espérer que nous dépasserons les deux répétitions de 1931... ["... In any case, I want to hope that we will exceed the two performances of 1931..."]
He also rejoices in the diversity of projects that occupy him, thus transcending styles and periods: "Glück, Iphigénie : nous sommes fichtrement loin de Vincent Scotto. Mais je franchis allégrement siècles et styles pour te dire combien je suis heureux de me trouver, dans ce "comité d'honneur" , associé aux respectables et déjà vieux amis dont tu connais les noms ! " ["Gluck, Iphigénie: we are damn far from Vincent Scotto. But I cheerfully leap across centuries and styles to tell you how happy I am to find myself, in this 'honorary committee,' associated with the respectable and already old friends whose names you know!"]
Folds inherent to mailing.
Carlo Rim was a Provençal writer, author notably of "Ma belle Marseille," a caricaturist, a filmmaker: "Justin de Marseille," "L'armoire volante," "La maison Bonnadieu," and was notably the friend of Fernandel, Raimu and Marcel Pagnol but also of Max Jacob and André Salmon whom he met in Sanary.

Printed calling card of composer Georges Auric, then administrator of the Réunion des Théâtres Lyriques Nationaux, to which he added, in blue ballpoint pen, for his friend Carlo Rim: "Merci pour tes affectueuses félicitations que je trouve à mon retour à Paris et crois-moi bien fidèlement à toi" ["Thank you for your affectionate congratulations which I find upon my return to Paris and believe me faithfully yours"]
Handsome copy.
Provenance: from the library of the Provençal writer, filmmaker and caricaturist Carlo Rim who was notably the friend of Fernandel, Raimu and Marcel Pagnol but also of André Salmon and Max Jacob.

Autograph letter signed by Georges Auric addressed to Bolette Natanson. Two pages written in black ink on a folded sheet.
Folds inherent to mailing.
Beautiful poetic letter with Rimbaldian influences: "Alchimistes, Rimbaud ! Eclair ouvre le ciel de mon adolescence ! Je me sens poète et c'est bien le moment de m'arrêter !" ["Alchemists, Rimbaud! Lightning opens the sky of my adolescence! I feel like a poet and this is the right moment to stop!"]
Auric mentions a concert he must give at Mme Japy de Beaucourt's, who held a salon in honor of the review directed by Ricciotto Canudo Montjoie ! : "Je dois jouer - encore ! vendredi chez Mme J. de B. (non point n'est ce pas, Mme Jean de B(?) mais Mme Canudo de Beaucourt" ["I must play - again! Friday at Mme J. de B.'s (not, isn't it, Mme Jean de B(?) but Mme Canudo de Beaucourt"]. He adds: "Montjoie et Canudo, gras et bête italboche..." ["Montjoie and Canudo, fat and stupid Italian..."]
Having moved in artistic circles since her earliest childhood - she was the daughter of Alexandre and niece of Thadée Natanson, creators of the famous Revue Blanche - Bolette Natanson (1892-1936) became friends with Jean Cocteau, Raymond Radiguet, Georges Auric, Jean Hugo and Colette.
Passionate about fashion, she left Paris for the United States with Misia Sert, close friend of Coco Chanel, and was hired at Goodman. With her husband Jean-Charles Moreux, they created the gallery Les Cadres on boulevard Saint-Honoré in 1929 and frequented numerous artists and intellectuals. Their success was immediate and they multiplied projects: creating the fireplace for Winnaretta de Polignac, decorating the château de Maulny, designing Baron de Rothschild's private mansion, creating frames for industrialist Bernard Reichenbach and finally creating the storefront for Colette's beauty institute in 1932. Bolette Natanson also framed works by her prestigious painter friends: Bonnard, Braque, Picasso, Vuillard, Man Ray, André Dunoyer de Segonzac, etc. Despite this meteoric rise, she took her own life in December 1936, a few months after her father's death.

Signed autograph letter from Georges Auric addressed to Bolette Natanson. Two pages written in black ink on a folded sheet. Deletions and underlinings.
Fold marks inherent to mailing.
Very fine letter in which the composer dissertates on friendship: "I simply wanted to tell you this important thing. I recommend that you not invite [Florent] Schmitt nor any 'artist'. Otherwise, I declare myself incapable of resisting the vision of these evil geniuses. For more than ever people disgust me, except you, naturally. I would like to press a button and destroy Humanity. Then we will be at peace and I will tell you the truth about Art and the truth about all the things in which you have faith."
Auric also evokes music in this letter: "Only Ravel's waltzes are noble and sentimental."
Having evolved from her earliest childhood in artistic circles - she is the daughter of Alexandre and the niece of Thadée Natanson, the creators of the famous Revue Blanche - Bolette Natanson (1892-1936) befriended Jean Cocteau, Raymond Radiguet, Georges Auric, Jean Hugo and Colette.
Passionate about couture, she left Paris for the United States with Misia Sert, great friend of Coco Chanel and was hired at Goodman. With her husband Jean-Charles Moreux, they created in 1929 the gallery Les Cadres on boulevard Saint-Honoré and frequented numerous artists and intellectuals. Their success was immediate and they multiplied projects: the creation of Winnaretta de Polignac's fireplace, the decoration of the château de Maulny, the layout of baron de Rothschild's private mansion, the creation of frames for industrialist Bernard Reichenbach and finally the realization of Colette's beauty institute storefront in 1932. Bolette Natanson also framed the works of her prestigious painter friends: Bonnard, Braque, Picasso, Vuillard, Man Ray, André Dunoyer de Segonzac, etc. Despite this meteoric rise, she took her own life in December 1936 a few months after her father's death.

Original photograph showing, in bathing attire and on a beach, the group of friends formed by Bolette Natanson, Valentine Hugo, Jean Cocteau and Georges Auric (the only one in street clothes). Vintage print.
A very fine photograph showing, in full relaxation, Jean Cocteau, Georges Auric, Valentine Hugo and Bolette Natanson away from the Parisian artistic effervescence in which they actively participated.
The two other men have been identified thanks to the research of Philippe Mianes, whom we thank. Through cross-referencing drawings from auction catalogues or exhibitions related to Jean Cocteau and Jean Hugo depicting this same context and characters, he was able to complete the story... Indeed, Jean Hugo in Le Regard de la Mémoire indicates that the scene takes place on the Arcachon Basin, at Piquey beach where Cocteau had his habits. "We were seven": thus, from left to right, we identify Valentine Hugo, Jean Hugo, Jean Cocteau, Georges Auric, Bolette Natanson and.... Raymond Radiguet. If the latter, whose face is veiled by his hat is difficult to recognize, he does indeed appear in this excerpt from Jean Hugo's memories. Chloé Radiguet, Raymond Radiguet's biographer, confirms that her uncle indeed habitually wore the same light-colored wide-brimmed hat.
A moving memento of Radiguet's last summer, under the sun of Cap Ferret where he completed Le Diable au corps.

Provenance: Bolette Natanson collection.

Original photograph showing Georges Auric seated and casually leaning on his piano. Period printing.
Right corner with two creases.
Handsome full-length portrait of the composer during the height of the "Group of Six" period, which he formed with Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc, and Germaine Tailleferre.
Provenance: Bolette Natanson collection.

First edition.
Publisher's binding in full silver boards, complete with dust jacket in perfect condition.
Rich iconography.
Handsome copy.

Rare first edition of the double invitation programme to a "Groupe des Six" concert on June 19, 1920, and to the second "Jeune Peinture française" exhibition from June 17 to July 4, 1920 at the Galerie Manzi-Joyant et Cie.
This document combines a musical event (with works by Francis Poulenc, Louis Durey, Arnold Schoenberg, Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Germaine Tailleferre) with a paintings exhibition by Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Félix Vallotton, Paul Sérusier and Paul Signac, among others, as well as sculptures by Aristide Maillol and Antoine Bourdelle.
The program announces the avant-garde concert of the "Groupe des Six" formed the same year by poet Jean Cocteau. It was part of a long series of memorable performances organized since 1917 by the young pianist-composers of the "Groupe des Six", where music was played and poems declaimed (this program also mentions the reading of Guillaume Apollinaire's Bestiaire and four poems by Paul Claudel).
On the reverse is an invitation for four people to the second exhibition of the "Jeune Peinture Française" group presided by Pierre Bonnard and Auguste Renoir.

(Francis POULENC & Georges AURIC & Guillaume APOLLINAIRE
& Jean COCTEAU & Paul CéZANNE & Auguste RENOIR et al.)
Double invitation program to a Groupe des Six concert and the second exhibition of the Jeune Peinture Française, Cézanne – Renoir from 17 June to 4 July 1920, Galerie Manzi-Joyant et Cie
Paris 1920 | 11.5 x 14.7 cm | one folded leaf
Rare first edition of the double invitation program to a “Groupe des Six” concert, held on 19 June 1920, and the second exhibition of the Jeune Peinture Française, from 17 June to 4 July 1920, at the Galerie Manzi-Joyant et Cie
This document combines the musical event (with works from Francis Poulenc, Louis Durey, Arnold Schoenberg, Georges Auric, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Germaine Tailleferre) and the exhibition of paintings by Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Félix Vallotton, Paul Sérusier and Paul Signac among others, as well as sculptures by Aristide Maillol and Antoine Bourdelle.
The program announces the avant-garde concert by “Groupe des Six,” formed the same year by the poet Jean Cocteau. It is part of a long series of memorable performances, organised since 1917, by the young pianist-composers of the “Groupe des Six,” where music was played and poems were recited (this program indeed mentions the reading of the Bestiaire by Guillaume Apollinaire and four poems by Paul Claudel).
On the reverse we find an invitation for four people to the second exhibition of the “Jeune Peinture Française,” an association of which Pierre Bonnard and Auguste Renoir were the honorary presidents.