Paul Vialar : a vision of World War I

Paul Vialar, engaged during the war of 1914-1918, recounts his experience in Le Coeur et la Boue (Heart and mud). This edition of 1921 illustrated by Louis-Robert Antral, whose style evokes the one of Hermann-Paul, underlines perfectly the darkness of this trench warfare.

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :

• ANTRAL (L.R.) - VIALAR (Paul). Le Cœur et la boue. Preface by Marcel Wiriath, wood engravings by Louis-Robert Antral. Paris, La Cigogne, 1921, in-8. Limited to 500 copies. One of the 12 copies on Imperial Japan paper.

Dulac's gems

"Edmond Dulac (1882-1953), colorist influenced by pre-Raphaelism, Japanese prints and Oriental miniatures, is part of a generation that contribute to the revival of illustrated books in the early twentieth century. Born in Toulouse, Dulac moved in England in 1905. Like his elder of fifteen years, Arthur Rackham, he started in the high-growth niche of luxurious illustrated books. Dulac drew from the same fairy tells. His delicate trait and his colors are perfectly rendered through the process of "simili" engraving. Up to the war, Dulac illustrated, each year, a book for the luxurious collection of the French editor Henri Piazza : illustrations reproduced on laminated paper, in a frieze framing. "

(source : http://expositions.bnf.fr - The exhibition "Il était une fois… les contes de fées" presented at Paris Galerie Mansart from 20 march to 17 june 2001).

Currently, the Librairie Loliée offers :

• Dulac (Edmond) - Khayyam (Omar). Rubaiyat. Paris, Piazza, (s.d.), in-4. 20 plate compositions in colors by Dulac.
• Dulac (Edmond) . La Princesse Badourah. Conte des Mille et Une Nuits. Paris, Piazza, 1914, in-4. 10 plate compositions in colors by Dulac. One of the 500 copies on Japan paper, signed by the artist.
  

Parler seul (Speaking alone) : A dialog between Tzara and Miro

Periodically felt out with André Breton about the role of art and literature in society, Tristan Tzara preaches, since the beginning of the Spanish Civil War, a poetry increasingly militant. He takes position, with Aragon, against fascism and, in 1937, he joins the Committee for the Defence of the Spanish culture. Under the Occupation, Tzara helps the activities of Resistance and, in 1947, he joined the Communist Party.

Established post-war in south of France, Tzara contributes to the revival of Occitan studies. Parler seul, published in 1950, reflects this period and the willingness of the author to make a "poetry in action." Rather than define a preliminary iconographic corpus, Tzara prefers to give carte blanche to the artist. The book, illustrated with 72 black & white and coloured lithographs by Joan Miro, reflects this freedom of dialogue between poetic text and icon. (sources : http://fr.encarta.msn.com - http://theses.enc.sorbonne.fr/document37.html)

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :

• MIRO (Joan) - Tzara (Tristan). Parler seul. Paris, Maeght, 1948, in leaves, illustrated covers, editor wrappers. First edition illustrated with 72 black and coloured lithographs by Joan Miro. Limited edition to 253 copies signed by both Miro and Tzara.

Dedicaces by Verlaine

Dédicaces is perhaps the most heterogeneous collection of poems by Paul Verlaine. It contains 4 ballads and 37 pieces dedicated to his friends. There is included in the first edition of 1890 (followed in 1894 an expanded edition) a portrait of Verlaine at the hospital. It is one of the many portraits done by F.-A. Cazals, cartoonist and close friend, during the convalescence of Verlaine to Broussais, his "sanitary prison", in which the poet, depressive, made several stays.

Despite a growing celebrity, Verlaine does not get over the remarriage of Mathilde, his wife, and is affected with not seeing his son. Between wanderings, absinthes and hospitalizations, he holds on with the help of his friends. Dédicaces is released through the intermediary of Léon Deschamps who, after the parting of Verlaine with his publisher Vanier, brings out the book at the editions of La Plume-Bibliothèque Artistique et Littéraire.


Put back in this context, Dédicaces, bouquet of sonnets offered by Verlaine to his friends, has a very moving dimension.
(source : album Verlaine - bibliothèque de la Pléiade, Gallimard - 1981)

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :

• Verlaine (Paul). Dédicaces. Drawing by A.F. Cazals, engraved by Maurice Baud. Paris, Bibliothèque Artistique et Littéraire, 1890, in-16, bound. First edition. On of the 50 copies on Holland paper signed by the author.