On Paintings and Sculptures

First edition, one of 100 copies on Japon, the only deluxe issue.

Navy blue half shagreen with slight color restoration, spine with five raised bands abundantly framed in gilt, blue watered silk flyleaves, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers and spine preserved, gilt top edge, binding signed J. Querelle.

Autograph letter dated and signed by Antonin Artaud on Le Dôme brasserie letterhead, addressed to Maurice Martin du Gard, founder and director of Nouvelles Littéraires. 29 lines in blue ink in a nervous handwriting.
Traces of folds and small marginal tears inherent to postal dispatch and handling. Minor stains at the beginning of the letter.

Antonin Artaud fought to have his article on Balthus's painting, exhibited for the first time in France, published. He fiercely defended the artist he considered his 'double', so similar were they physically and intellectually.

Exhibition catalogue of Paul Gauguin's works at the Galerie Barbazanges, 109 Faubourg Saint-Honoré, from 10 to 30 October 1919.
Illustrated with Gauguin's splendid colour self-portrait with halo and serpent, wood-engraved by Jules Germain.
Essay by François Norgelet, entitled "Gauguin au Pouldu".
Catalogue of 28 works by Gauguin, including two lithographs and two plaster casts. Minute black spot in the margin of the front wrapper.

First edition, with the author's facsimile signature and date "october 1940" on the endpaper.
Split hinges, some foxing on the endpapers.
Publisher's sand-colored cloth binding, black title-label on the front cover.
Handsome copy of this notebook reproducing 82 sketches made in London air-raid shelters during the Blitz.

Autograph postcard signed by Jean Paulhan, 22 lines written in black ink addressed to Felia Leal the publisher of "Paroles transparentes", a work by Jean Paulhan decorated with 14 original lithographs by Georges Braque.
Central fold mark on the card which represents the painting by Georges Braque entitled: Cliffs and Boat.
Jean Paulhan asks for news of his correspondent: "Are you completely cured? What if it were me instead who came to your place?" and is amazed by the smallness of Parisian taxis: "These taxis for dwarf people are dreadful..."
From the narrowness of taxis, Jean Paulhan shifts to Gallimard's editorial...

Autograph manuscript signed by André Breton, written in black ink on two sheets of green paper.
Horizontal fold to each sheet, pagination in red pencil on the 2nd sheet. Published in the journal Art, 1955.

“Yes I have sarcasm in my words, yes I do not know how to flatter and bend my back, how to beg in official salons […] I am nothing but a braying schemer, but if I had submitted - yes I would be comfortable."

Long autograph letter dated August 1896 and signed by Paul Gauguin to painter Daniel de Monfreid. Four pages in black ink on two lined sheets.
Small tears to margins not affecting the text, traces of folds inherent to sending.
In the midst of his descent into hell, abandoned in his Tahitian artificial paradise, Gauguin feels cursed : “Definitely, I was born under a bad...

Autograph letter dated and signed by Edgar Degas, addressed to the dealer Charles Deschamps, director of Durand-Ruel’s London branch. Three pages in ink on a bifolium.
Minor marginal tears not affecting the text, folds from mailing.
Recently returned from New Orleans, Degas writes to his London dealer to announce the imminent arrival of a delicate composition of dancers, Le Foyer de la danse à l’Opéra de la rue Le Peletier, now held at the Musée d’Orsay: "In the meantime you will receive the little picture you saw in progress and which you had the idea of selling to Mr. Huth - May you succeed! [...] As for the price, it seems to me that...

Autograph letter dated and signed by Antoni Tàpies addressed to his close friend, art critic Georges Raillard, the greatest French specialist of his work (16 lines in blue ballpoint pen from Barcelona).
Fold marks inherent to the letter's mailing, envelope included.
Having directed the French Institute of Barcelona from 1964 to 1969, Georges Raillard befriended and collaborated with numerous Spanish and Catalan artists including Joan Miro and Antoni Tapies, whose biographies he would also write.
The Catalan artist regrets not being able to participate in the farewell dinner organized by his friends Georges and Alice Raillard but does not despair of seeing...

Autograph letter dated and signed by Antoni Tàpies addressed to his close friend the art critic Georges Raillard, the greatest French specialist of his work (19 lines in blue ballpoint pen from Barcelona).
Fold marks inherent to the letter's envelope placement, envelope included.
Having directed the French Institute of Barcelona from 1964 to 1969, Georges Raillard formed friendships and collaborated with numerous Spanish and Catalan artists including Joan Miro and Antoni Tapies, whose biographies he would also write.
The Catalan artist relays the notion of "art impliqué" recently employed in Catalonia: "... je viens de voir une citation... dans...

Manuscript list by André Malraux (20 lines in blue ballpoint pen) providing details and instructions for André Parinaud concerning the publication of his works forming the "Ecrits sur l'art" collection illustrated with photographs by Roger Parry.

Fold marks inherent to postal mailing.

Resistance member and contributor to Combat, André Parinaud was a journalist, columnist, art critic and writer. From 1959 to 1967, he held the position of editor-in-chief of the important weekly Arts bringing together the elite of French creation in all artistic fields : literature, painting, theater, cinema... He would then conduct more than 1000...

Autograph letter addressed to his friend Georges Raillard, 8 lines in black felt-tip pen.
Fold marks inherent to being placed in an envelope.
"4 matin,
cher Georges. Tapies en rouge. On me dit que pour juillet les jeux étaient faits par l'équipe précédente... (?) Espérons pour le 1er janvier 2003... Yves." ["4 morning,
dear Georges. Tapies in red. I'm told that for July the die was cast by the previous team... (?) Let's hope for January 1st, 2003... Yves."]