Les Chants de Maldoror of Isidore Ducasse a.k.a Comte de Lautréamont, is a singular atypical book which facinated many painters among which Salvador Dali, René Magritte, Hans Bellmer and also Bernard Buffet.
This epic poem in prose tells the journey of Maldoror, a super human and evil archangel who fights against God and commits murderous acts which reveal his sadism and his homosexuality (full text in french here).The black and powerful illustrations of Bernard Buffet, who sits the character in modern surroundings, are sometimes disturbing, and can't let someone indifferent. It's one of his more accomplished work.
Currently, the Librairie Loliée can offer :
- Buffet [Bernard) - Lautreamont (Comte de) - Les Chants de Maldoror. Paris, les Dix, 1952, 2 volumes in-4, folder and case. Edition limited to only 147 copies on velin blanc d'Arches, illustrated with 125 original decorations throughout by Bernard Buffet.
