Grandville visionary

Jean-Ignace-Isidore Gerard, said Jean-Jacques Grandville, is the illustrator who left his mark, by his inventiveness and his talent as a cartoonist, on the Romantic movement, both literary and artistic, of the first half of the nineteenth century. Formed in the city of Nancy, in the atelier of his father, portraitist and miniaturist, Grandville joins Paris at the age of twenty. In 1829, he knows his first success with Les Métamorphoses du Jour, satire of the social and political life. Through hybrid characters, men by body and animals by the facial appearance, Grandville teases the ridiculous and pretentious of his time, and makes fun of the July Monarchy. His satirical drawings, yet liked by publishers, bother Adolphe Thiers who promulgates, under Louis-Philippe, a law requiring a prior authorization for the publication of drawings.

From 1835 Grandville illustrates books (Fables of La Fontaine, Gulliver's Travels, Robinson Crusoe, Fables of Florian, Don Quixote, etc). Grandville is never happy with his work, spends an incredible amount of time on each drawing. He continues his exploration of zoomorphic beings with Scènes de la vie privée et publiques de Animaux (1842). He is also interested in dreams and visions. The fantasy of Un Autre Monde (1844), Fleurs Animées (1947) and Etoiles (1849) disturb the public who do not recognize the spirit of the satirical cartoonist and prefer more traditional albums like Cent proverbes ( 1845).
In the last years of his life, Grandville goes through many personal difficulties among which the loss of a child. He speaks little, discovers strange shapes in every surrendings. His madness crisis worry his contemporaries.
Interned in an Asylum for Insane of the city of Vanves, Grandville died in 1847, at the age of forty-four, leaving behind this epitaph: "Here lies Grandville, he loved everything, made everything live, speak and walk, alone, he did not know how to find his way. "
Grandville shown throughout his career an amazing ability to transform everyday life in a fantasy world. His prodigious imagination appoints him as a precursor of surrealism.

(source : http://www.galerietroncin.com - wikipedia.fr).

Currently, the Librairie Loliée can offer :

• Grandville - Swift. Voyages de Gulliver..., Paris, Fournier, Furne, 1838, 2 volumes in-8, binding from the period.
  
• Grandville. Scènes de la Vie Privée et Publique des Animaux, Paris, Hetzel et Paulin, 1842, 2 volumes grand in-8, binding by Champs.
  
• Grandville- Florian. Fables. Paris, J.J. Dubochet et Cie, 1842, in-8, binding by Mercier.
  
• Grandville. Un autre Monde. Paris, Fournier, 1844, in-4, binding by Champs.
  
• Grandville - Reybaud. Jérôme Paturot à la recherche d'une position sociale. Paris, Dubochet, 1846, grand in-8, binding by Champs.
  
• Grandville. Les Métamorphoses du jour, 1854, grand in-8, binding by Hans Harper.
  

Autumn article

We thank France Inter radio which likes the bookshop blog. The article from the broadcasting Blog à part is available here.

Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe

Chateaubriand began writing his memoirs in 1811, the year of his nomination at the Académie Française. He pursues the redaction of this vast autobiographical project for more than thirty years. He writes down the political and historical events of his time and, like Rousseau in his Confessions, says the details of his private life, talks about his personal aspirations. In order to avoid the poor biographies and to delay criticism of his enemies, Chateaubriand wanted to make his work published after his death and released from "outre-tombe", over the grave. (Indeed he changes the original title "Memoires d'une vie "). Pressured by financial problems, he sells his memoirs in 1836 to a company which secured him a decent income for the rest of his days.

In 42 volumes published, Les Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe (full text) stigmatizes the duality of Chateaubriand. The writer claims a freedom of style, exalts his personal feelings with lyricism, while the public man, provides a chronicle of his time who sees the advent of democracy to which he is opposed.
If its detractors reproch him a tumid style and an excessive vanity, Chateaubriand, by his description of nature, his analysis of inner feelings and by of his poetic prose, became a model for the generation of romantic writers. And the legend tells that Victor Hugo exclaimed as child: "I want to be Chateaubriand or nothing! ". (source : wikipedia.fr)

Currently, the librairie Loliée can offer :

• CHATEAUBRIAND (F.A. de). Mémoires d'Outre-Tombe. Paris, Eugène et Victor Penaud, 1849, 12 volumes, in-8, bound. First edition. Joined : the subscribers list and a letter of Chateaubriand to Delloye. All the covers are in perfect condition, bound in a fresh pastiche in the 19th century style.

Char and the world of art

René Char, poet and resistant, releases in 1946 his Feuillets d'Hypnos, a personal journal written during the Second World War when he was fighting in the ranks of the F.F.C. He carries on publications and expands his audience when, with the help of his friend Albert Camus, he joins up with the editor Gallimard. Provençal by birth and by taste - Char never leaves this area where he receives his friends and works his texts. The 50s and the 60s signal the collaboration of Char with painters and show his work on the reflectivity between poetry and painting. His meeting with Braque is essential. Braque is the painter that allows Char to embody his language other than by words. The two men cooperate on the issue of Le Soleil des Eaux (1949), La Bibliothèque est en feu (1956) and Lettera Amorosa (1963).

La Bibliothèque est en feu (which was first a coded message from the Resistance to announce a parachuting) is a first edition published in 1956 by Broder. The book shows the work of reciprocity between Char and Braque. The text is preceded by an etching, the flight of five birds that stand out with a blue background. The take off by Braque and his forewarning birds reverberates the poetic take off by Char.

After the death of Braque, Char continues his approach of intercreativity with Giacometti, Vieira da Silva, Miro, Zao Wou Ki. Char makes a tribute to painting in Le Monde de l'Art n'ets pas le Monde du Pardon, first edition of selected texts and illustrated with six engravings signed by contemporary painters and friends of Char.
(source : http://www.gallimard.fr/catalog/Html/actu/char-jours.htm)

Currently, the Librairie Loliée can offer :

• Braque (Georges) - Char (René) - La Bibliothèque est en feu. Paris, Broder, 1956, small in-4, broché, case by the editor . First edition with an original etching by Braque. Limited edition at 120 copies signed by the autor and the artist. This one includes two more etchings signed by Braque.
  
• Char (René) - Le Monde de l'art n'est pas le monde du pardon. (Paris), Maeght (1974), in-folio, in leaves, case by the editor. First edition with numerous illustrations in black and colors. Limited edition at 100 copies, signed by René Char and including 6 original engravings by Charbonnier, Wifredo Lam, Miro, Szenes, Vieira da Silva, Zao Wou Ki, signed by the artists.
  

Art. Goût. Beauté

The First World War has a great influence on the evolution of fashion : the absence of men modifies the place of women in the society. Confronted with new responsibilities, women wish to reach a new life style. Corsets are over ! Dresses are shortened, low-cut in the back, the waistline is not marked anymore. Great creators, as Jean Patou, Jeanne Lanvin, or the English Molyneux, set the style of a profile “à la garçonne”. The hats heavily decorated disappear for bell-hats. The new practice of sports imposes the creation of special suits for tennis, golf or mountain. Accessories come to highlight suits.

In 1925, the great exhibition of decorative arts brings innovation in the post-war fashion. Raoul Dufy draws printed fabrics for Bianchini Ferrier. Sonia Delaunay gives Jacques Heim embroidery patterns, Jean Dunand realizes, for the modeler Agnès, hats made of egg shells arranged like mosaics.
(Source: Encarta)

Published in the Twenties and Thirties, the review A.G.B. (Art, Taste and Beauty) reflects the Art deco period which celebrates the woman emancipation. These “layers of the feminine elegance” incorporate many "pochoir" illustrations, present various columns and a historical chronicle on the feminine fashion through the ages. Articles, written in a distinguished and sometimes obsolete and light style, invite to smile: “Nothing is more exquisite, nothing is more delicious than the fine silhouettes of Parisian women, fitted in light clothes, moving on emerald lawns or under the green foliations of the trees.”

Currently, the Librairie Loliée offers a choice of issues.

1 cent life

One cent life is the result of an experimental and collective pace, initiated by Sam Francis, defender of a new aesthetic of color, and which gathers american, for the most part, and european artists. Francis used to receive in his Manhattan's apartment various artists among which Walasse Ting, refugee of China, who wrote poems and made figurative as well as abstract paintings. During one of this meeting, came the idea to publish the most international illustrated book ever done.

With 68 original lithographs, the book reflects the various artistic currents of his time : tachism, CoBrA movement, and of course, pop art.
One Cent life became the proclamation of a new generation of painters, and from now on, a reference in the history of modern art.
(source : http://prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=186065)


Currently, the librairie Loliée can offer :

• Ting (Wallasse). One Cent Life. Written by Wallace Ting, edited by Sam Francis, published by E. Kornfeld. Paris, Georges Girard, 1964, folio, loose as issued in publisher's cloth portfolio with dustjacket and cloth slipcaseen feuilles. Edition limited to 2000 copies. 68 original lithographs in colors by Pierre Alechinsky, Karel Appel, Alan Davie, Jim Dine, Sam Francis, Alfred Jensen, Asgar Jorn, Alfred Leslie, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Mel Ramos, Robert Rauschenberg, J.P. Riopelle, James Rosenquist, Saura, Walasse Ting, Bram Van Velde, Andy Warhol.