Pégase

Nouveau cercle parisien du livre, Paris 1965, 35x45cm, morocco binding under custom chemise and slipcase.

"The idea of this book, bringing together poems by Jean Cocteau illustrated by Léopold Survage on the theme of Pegasus, had been submitted to the Poet and had pleased him. A few days before his death, he invited us to Milly-la-Forêt to hand over the texts and the preface he had specially written. But on the day of our appointment, he was no longer there" (afterword to Pégase).

Monumental folio edition illustrated with 10 original plates by Léopold Survage, one of 170 numbered copies on vélin d'arches, ours especially printed for Pierre-André Weill, director of the publication, extra-illustrated by the insertion of 4 duplicate suites of the plates all signed in pencil by Léopold Survage, i.e. 40 original prints signed by the artist.
First edition of Jean Cocteau's preface, followed by poems he selected from his collections Léone, Renaud et Armise, Neiges, Plain-Chant, Cherchez Apollon and Poésie 1920.
Half morocco binding, spine with illustrator's name lettered in gilt at foot, red suede strip at center of boards, wood patterned paper pastedowns and endleaves, all edges gilt, red half morocco custom slipcase with flaps, illustrator's name lettered in gilt at foot, some stains on the blue-grey felt lining, wood patterned paper boards, elegant unsigned binding by Lucie Weill, wife of the dedicatee and one of the most important female gallery owners of the 20th century.
While regular copies only include the 10 unsigned full-page and in text engravings, the colophon mentions a separate edition of "20 suites réimposées des burins originaux sur papiers à la main, vélin et Canton, et 20 suites sur papiers nacré et Hosho du Japon." (20 suites of the original burins on papiers à la main, vélin and Canton, and 20 suites on papiers nacrés and Hosho papers from Japan).
Our copy exceptionally includes every duplicate suite of the plates: 40 engravings in total, each signed in pencil by Léopold Survage.
The Au Pont des Arts gallery was founded in 1930 and run by Lucie and Pierre-André Weill. It published some of the finest artists' books by Picasso, Ernst, Masson, Braque, Derain, Herold, Survage and, of course, Cocteau, for whom it hosted major exhibitions from 1955 onwards. Upon the death of the poet and artist, the gallery became the headquarters of the Société des Amis de Jean Cocteau, and an important event was organized in his honor in 1967. For this reason, it is hardly surprising that our copy, the last collaboration between the poet and a modern artist, is preserved in a luxurious binding, a fitting tribute from the two gallery owners to their departed friend.
A very fine and unique copy of this monumental work, seldom found in a fine binding, with large format equestrian illustrations printed here on deluxe paper and signed by the artist.
Provenance : Collection Pierre-André and Lucie Weil, whose gallery on rue Bonaparte was a leading center of Modern Art from the 1930s onwards.