Paris (France)

Rare original lithograph in crayon manner, executed by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes for L’Estampe Moderne, dated 1 August 1869, from series no. 12 issued in April 1898.

One of 50 deluxe proofs printed on japon paper with wide margins, on vellum laid down on japon paper, signed and dated in the plate, with the publisher’s blindstamp of a child’s profile in the lower margin, and numbered stamp of the deluxe issue on verso. A faint dark stain to one corner, with slight offsetting of the preceding plate. Preceded by a tissue guard bearing the artist’s name, title, an excerpt of text, and a short presentation of the engraving; with an additional blank tissue guard.

Lithograph inspired by an excerpt from Armand Dayot, reproduced on the tissue guard of the print.

Magnificent French monthly publication issued between May 1897 and April 1899, L’Estampe Moderne consists of original chromolithographs which, unlike other journals such as Les Maîtres de l’Affiche and as stated on the tissue guards, were created expressly for the magazine by each artist.

A total of 100 prints were issued, reflecting the major artistic movements of the late 19th century: Symbolism, Art Nouveau, the Pre-Raphaelites, Orientalism and the Belle Époque. Each instalment of four prints was published in 2,000 copies priced at 3.50 francs, with 100 on japon paper offered at 10 francs. Henri Piazza also planned an extremely limited de luxe printing: 50 copies on large-margined japon and 50 in black on china paper at the considerable price of 30 francs.

This large-format plate is superbly printed on the most prestigious of papers: japon. Thick, silky, satiny and pearly, it makes each sheet a work in its own right. Its ink absorption and affinity with colour also make it the ideal support for these magnificent lithographs.

French collectors’ enthusiasm for artistic posters increased in the early 1890s. Octave Uzanne, to describe this fervour, coined the term affichomanie. The poster, originally popular and pasted in the streets of Paris, was elevated to the status of art object, its ephemeral medium transformed into something precious and destined for preservation.

Piazza’s ambition was to detach the poster from its advertising function and raise it to the rank of an art form in its own right, on a par with the luxury illustrated book. He thus composed a prestigious collection of entirely original works by the most celebrated European artists of the day: Georges de Feure, Eugène Grasset, Henri Detouche, Émile Berchmans, Louis Rhead, Gaston de Latenay, Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, Gustave-Max Stevens, Charles Doudelet, Hans Christiansen, Henri Fantin-Latour, Steinlen, Ibels, Engels, Willette, Henri Meunier, Evenepoël, Bellery-Desfontaines, Charles Léandre, and others.

A fine example in the artist’s Symbolist manner.

"Immortalité" - Original lithograph on Japan paper – L'Estampe Moderne
L'Estampe Moderne | Imprimerie Champenois for C. H. Masson & H. Piazza | Paris [May 1897] | subject: 24,5 x 34,5cm| plate: 40.8 x 55 cm | one leaf and a captioned silk tissue

Rare Henri Fantin-Latour color lithograph heightened with gold published by L'Estampe Moderne, series number 13, May 1897.
One of 50 ‘grand luxe' proofs printed on papier japon with wide margins, signed by the artist in the plate, publisher's stamp to the lower margin, de luxe printing numbered stamp to verso, small trace of stamp from the previous plate; the plate itself preceded by a silk tissue with the name of the artist, title, a poem and a caption.

L'Estampe moderne was a magnificent monthly French publication published between May 1897 and April 1899. It included unpublished chromolithographs specially made by each artist for the magazine – as mentioned on the protective silk tissue over each plate – unlike other publications such as Les Maîtres de l'Affiche. 100 prints were published in total, covering major artistic movements of the late 19th-century: Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Pre-Raphaelites, Orientalists and ‘Belle époque'. 2,000 copies were printed of each fascicule containing four prints and sold for 3.50F. 100 copies were printed on papier japon for 10F.
Henri Piazza also planned a very luxurious secret printing of 50 copies on papier japon with wide margins and 50 in black and white on papier chine at the considerable price of 30F.
This well-sized print is superbly printed in colors on the most prestigious of papers: japon. Thick, creamy, satin and with a nice sheen, it contributes to making each page a work of art in itself. Its qualities of absorption and its affinity for colors make it the ideal support for these lovely lithographs.
The interest of French collectors for artistic posters grew from the beginning of the 1890s. Octave Uzanne invented a term for this new form of collection: ‘affichomanie', or poster mania. The initially common poster displayed in the streets of Paris became a work of art and its ephemeral material became precious and made to last.
Piazza decided to separate the poster from its advertising role and to elevate it to a form of art, similarly to luxury illustrated artists' books. He put together a prestigious collection of entirely original artworks by the most fashionable European artists: Georges de Feure, Eugène Grasset, Henri Detouche, Emile Berchmans, Louis Rhead, Gaston de Latenay, Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer, Gustave-Max Stevens, Charles Doudelet, Hans Christiansen, Henri Fantin-Latour, Steinlen, Ibels, Engels, Willette, Henri Meunier, Evenepoël, Bellery-Desfontaines, Charles Léandre, etc.
A very fine plate.

First edition, one of 85 numbered copies on pur fil, deluxe copies after 36 on Holland paper.

Handsome copy.

The first part of Féerie pour une autre fois having failed to achieve the expected success, Céline wished to surround the release of the second part - Normance - with maximum publicity and restore his reputation after his years of exile in Germany and Denmark. Wishing to distance himself from the solemn form of the publisher's slip, he proposed to Gaston Gallimard this eulogy written in the manner of an imaginary interview between himself and Professor Y alias Colonel Réséda, a prostatic old man. The text of this zany « interviouwe » would be published in several parts in the Nouvelle Revue française in 1954 before appearing in volume form in 1955. The writer speaks with fervor about his style, his conception of literature and vehemently criticizes the literary world and public taste.

Beautiful autograph letter signed by Colette addressed to her friend Bolette Natanson. Two pages written in ink on blue paper. Transverse creases inherent to the folding of the missive.
This letter was probably addressed to Bolette following a gift made to her "old friend": "Ah! dangerous Bolette! I can say nothing in front of you. Here are the two charming thick little vessels that emigrate to my home." This is an opportunity for Colette, very pleased with this new gift, to humorously devalue the designer's previous works: "From now on your frames are ugly, your mirrors troubled like an honest man's conscience, and your butterflies are - horror! - faithful!" The famous "butterflies", naturalized and enclosed in glass frames, are visible in several photographs of the writer in her home.
Having evolved since her earliest childhood in artistic circles - she is the daughter of Alexandre and niece of Thadée Natanson, the creators of the famous Revue Blanche - Bolette Natanson (1892-1936) became friends with Jean Cocteau, Raymond Radiguet, Georges Auric, Jean Hugo and also Colette.
Passionate about sewing, she left Paris for the United States with Misia Sert, great friend of Coco Chanel, and was hired by 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 the fireplace for Winnaretta de Polignac, the decoration of the château de Maulny, the arrangement 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 would end her life in December 1936 a few months after her father's death.