December 27, 2006

Le Bal du Comte d'Orgel

The brief work of Raymond Radiguet compils a poetry collection named Les Joues en Feu, published in 1920, and two novels : Le Diable au corps and Le Bal du comte d'Orgel from which, dying of tiphoid in december 1923, he never saw the publication. Radiguet, who leaves school to begin a carrier as a reporter, assiociates with artistic circles. It's his encounter with Cocteau, in1918, which reveals the birth of this prodigal author. Avant gardist, close to the the Surrealists, Radiguet acquires however a classical style, notably in Le Diable au Corps.

Le Bal du comte d’Orgel is novel often connected with La Princesse de Clèves de Mme de La Fayette because of the deep psychological analysis. The novel mixed the sharp classicism of Radiguet, chastened with the easy going experience of Cocteau who, after the death of the young man, collaborated to the print corrections.
Speaking about Raymond Radiguet, Cocteau wrote in a article intitled This pupil who became my master (Les Nouvelles littéraires, artistiques et scientifiques - 5 juin 1952) : "Il est une plante qui parle, en quelque sorte. Dans Le Diable au corps, cette plante raconte le mystère de ses racines. Dans Le Bal du comte d’Orgel, cette plante donne sa fleur, et son parfum est parole."
http://www.alalettre.com/radiguet-intro.htm - Analyse du Diable au Corps par Clémence Camon

Currently at the Librairie Loliee :
- Le Bal du comte d'Orgel, Paris, 1924, in-12, broché , chemise et étui. One of the ten first copies.