First edition printed on alfa paper, no mention is made of deluxe copies.
Work illustrated with illustrations in the text.
Manuscript signature of Géo Lévy-Say at the head of the title page.
First edition, one of 20 copies on Arches paper, most limited deluxe issue (tirage de tête).
Like all copies on Arches, it is wrapped in a double dust jacket in yellow and white, and bears the rare sanguine vignette drawn and engraved by Hans Bellmer.
Preface by Jean Paulhan.
Our copy is housed in a custom clamshell box featuring an original design signed by Julie Nadot.
Beautiful first edition copy of this masterpiece of erotic literature, in its most limited deluxe issue.
First edition, one of 170 numbered copies on vélin du Marais, the only issue after 30 copies on Arches.
Custom chemise and slipcase, chemise in half blue box calf, flat spine with blind and palladium-stamped lettering, date in palladium at foot, patterned paper boards, slipcase edged in blue box calf, patterned paper boards, sides and spine in petrol blue paper, signed by Boichot.
A very fine copy.
Illustrated with 3 original etchings in black by Georges Braque and one in black and grey as frontispiece.
Signed by René Char and Georges Braque on the colophon.
Illustrated edition with 38 original engravings by Ling Chou, copper-engraved and hand-printed in sanguine, printed in 134 nominative and numbered copies on double Yu-Pan China paper.
The book, separated into two fascicles hand-sewn and covered in green moiré silk, is protected by two black lacquer plates and laces, work of the master lacquerer Tchou-Tze-Tsin.
The whole is contained in a moiré silk case closed by two ivory clasps, following the illustrator's design.
The case is partially and lightly discolored, with a light stain at the head of the first board of the case, handsome copy.
Signatures of Ling Chou, of the president and vice-president of the Society of Women Bibliophiles which published the work.
Original colour lithographed poster depicting Jean Jaurès as an elephant sitting on a chair and holding a bottle of “water from the Jordan”. Until then portrayed as a dog – caricaturists mocking his aggressiveness – Jean Jaurès is here, for the first time, represented as an elephant. It is a question here of highlighting his potbelly and his pachyderm silhouette, but we can, nevertheless, highlight the great dignity of this massive personality with a high gaze. The water from the Jordan is held on one of his hoofs and alludes to the rumour that he had his son baptised in the scared river, thus acting against his anticlerical policy. Despite the caricaturist's desire to ridicule Jean Jaurès, the choice of the elephant, a symbol of strength, prosperity and wisdom, is ultimately positive.
Transverse folds and tiny, minor, marginal tears.
Circulated between October 1899 and December 1900 in a France set ablaze by the Dreyfus Affair, these immense colour portraits are the work of Victor Lenepveu, who announced the publication of 150 and then 200 drawings, before finally producing only around fifty. Despite the 1881 law on the freedom of press allowing the dissemination of a politically subversive image, the publication of this nightmarish pantheon was interrupted by order of the Ministry of the Interior.
The fragility of the paper and the imposing size of these very violent posters, as well as their almost immediate seizure by the police, contributed to the disappearance of these caricatures which strongly left a mark on public opinion.
These horreurs were widely promoted by anti-Semitic newspapers that announced a fantasised print of 300,000 copies, thus insinuating the success of anti-Semitic ideas in the population.
On 1st October 1899, L'Intransigeant announced the publication of the Musée des horreurs in its columns: “Un dessinateur de beaucoup d'esprit, au coup de crayon d'un comique intense, M. V. Lenepveu, a eu l'heureuse idée d'inaugurer une série de portraits des vendus les plus célèbres de la tourbe dreyfusarde. Le titre de cette série « Musée des Horreurs » est suffisamment suggestif et indique bien ce qu'il promet. [...] C'est la maison Hayard qui mettra en vente, à partir d'aujourd'hui, le numéro 1 de cette désopilante série.” “An artist of great spirit, with an intense comical pencil stroke, M. V. Lenepveu, had the happy idea of inaugurating a series of portraits of the most famous sellouts of the Dreyfusard rabble. The title of this series “ Musée des Horreurs” is sufficiently suggestive and is a good indicator of what it promises. [...] It is Maison Hayard that will put up for sale, from today, issue number 1 of this hilarious series.” First a peddler then a bookseller-publisher, Napoléon Hayard (known as Léon Hayard) specialised in the marketing of anti-Dreyfusard and anti-Semitic ephemera and advertisements.
Today, however, copies in good condition of these pamphlet caricatures, which contributed to the social and political divide of France, are very rare. Published in the booming written press - at the same time as Émile Zola's famous “J'accuse !” - these propaganda materials had a significant impact on the younger generations and preceded the ideological violence of the 20th century.
Original lithographed color poster depicting Théophile Delcassé as a circus poodle.
Transverse folds and minor marginal tears without loss.
Distributed between October 1899 and December 1900 in a France inflamed by the Dreyfus Affair, these immense color caricature portraits are the work of Victor Lenepveu who announced the publication of 150 then 200 drawings and ultimately produced only about fifty. Despite the 1881 press freedom law allowing the distribution of politically subversive imagery, the publication of this nightmarish pantheon was interrupted by order of the Ministry of the Interior.
The fragility of the paper and the imposing format of these extremely violent posters, as well as their almost immediate seizure by the police, contributed to the disappearance of these caricatures which nevertheless strongly marked public opinion.
These horrors benefited from wide promotion by antisemitic newspapers which announced a fantasized print run of 300,000 copies, thus insinuating the success of antisemitic ideas among the population.
On October 1, 1899, L'Intransigeant announced the publication of the Musée des horreurs in its columns: "A very witty artist, whose pencil stroke is intensely comic, M. V. Lenepveu, had the happy idea of inaugurating a series of portraits of the most famous sellouts of the Dreyfusard rabble. The title of this series 'Musée des Horreurs' is sufficiently suggestive and clearly indicates what it promises. [...] It is the Hayard house that will put on sale, starting today, number 1 of this hilarious series." First a street vendor then a bookseller-publisher, Napoléon Hayard (known as Léon Hayard) specialized in the commercialization of anti-Dreyfusard and antisemitic ephemera and placards.
However, only very rare examples in fine condition of these pamphlet caricatures that participated in the social and political fracture of France survive today. Published during the full expansion of the written press - at the same time as Émile Zola's famous "J'accuse...!" - these propaganda documents had a significant impact particularly on young generations and prefigure the ideological violence of the 20th century.
