Hermine David : woman painter of the early 20th century

There are few recognized women painters in the first part of the 19th century. Hermine David (1886-1970) is among those who were able to establish themselves. Born in Paris, the painter and engraver, whom real name was Lionnette Cartan, grew up with her mother who always said she was the daughter of a Hapsburg prince. After leaving the family bosom at age 16, she take classes at Julian and, in 1906, participated in the first exhibition of women painters. Her good quality work soon  provided her the status of a recognized artist. In 1906, she also met Jules Pascin and got involved with the group of the School of Paris. The Berliner became his mentor and lover. But, Pascin pursued, in parallel, an affair with Lucy, a model for Albert Marquet. Yet, when in 1914 the war forced Pascin to leave France, it is Hermine David who followed him to the United States. The two painters got married in New York in 1918. In 1920, marked by the escapades of Pascin, the couple returned to France and eventually broke up. Pascin resumed his affair with Lucy, now married to the painter Per Krogh. Hhe still supported the work of Hermine David who went from exhibition to exhibition : the Salon d'Automne, the Salon des Independants, an exhibition at the gallery Weil.
Worn out by the roaring twenties that yet established her, Hermine David left Paris for a time and  and developed her talent as a landscape artist, while traveling in France and Spain. In 1930, Pascin committed suicide, leaving a note to Lucy. Two years later, Hermine David receives the Legion of Honour. She never ceased to produce (painting, prints, enamels). In May 1966, she retired to the Artists Retirement Home of Nogent-sur-Marne. She died 4 years later.

Currently, la librairie Loliée offers : 

• [David (Hermine)] Larbaud (Valéry). Enfantines. Illustrés par Jeanne Rosoy, Germaine Labaye, Halicka, Hermine David. Paris, Gallimard, 1926, 4 volumes in-8,  binding in chromotypography, central illustrated medallions on each covers, case.  First illustrated edition with 24 original engravings in text by Jeanne Rosoy (tome 1), Germaine Labay (tome 2), Halicka (tome 3) and Hermine David (tome 4).  One of the 300 numbered copies on  Holland paper.
• David (Hermine) - Rebell (Hugues). Les Nuits Chaudes du Cap Français. Paris, Henri Joncquières, « Les Beaux Romans », 1927, in-8, covers. Illustrated edition of this curiosa title,  with  18 original and in colours etchings byHermine David. Copy on Rives paper. 
• David (Hermine) - Verlaine (Paul). Romances sans paroles. Gravures à la pointe sèche de Hermine David. Paris, Pour els Bibliophiles du Palais, 1934, in-8, en leaves, illustrated covers, folder and case. Edition with de 31 original etchings, by Hermine David. Limited to 200 copies on Rives paper.

Behind the "Sâr", Joséphin Péledan : an author to rediscover

The middle of the nineteenth century see the apparition, in France, of a craze for occultism and spiritualism imported from the United States. Many esoteric associations bloom among which the Order of the Rose-Croix, founded in 1889 by Stanislas de Guaita (1861-1897) and Joséphin Péladan (1858-1918). This young author, rather eccentric, made his name with the publication in 1884 of the Vice Supreme. In this first novel, Péladan denounces modern materialistic society, criticizes the naturalism of Zola and proposes an artistic revival through romanticism and occultism. If Péladan character is sometimes mocked, his talent and his views captivate several major figures of the time : Barbey d'Aurevilly who also wrote the preface to the Vice Supreme, Erik Satie and Claude Debussy, both members of the Order of Rose-Croix (Satie was also the composer's official order). Soon, Péladan virulent catholicism causes the break-up with Stanislas de Guaita.
In 1890, Péladan, who then wants to be called the Sâr Merodack Joséphin Péladan, creates a new society, the Order of the aesthetic and catholic Rose-Croix of the Temple and of the Holy Grail. In 1892, he organized the first Salon de la Rose-Croix at the Durand-Ruel gallery in Paris. Among the artists on display : Armand Point, Fernand Khnopff, and Alexandre Seon. In 1897, after the sixth and final salon of the Rose-Croix, Péladan puts an end to his activities, saying that his artistic position has been successfully transmitted. He settles down, writes art critics to subsist and dies in oblivion in 1918.
The unpredictible Sâr  left his mark on the last part of the 19th century, but also hide the writer's skills of Joséphin Péladan.

Frontispice de F. Rops

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers the following first editions :

•  Le Vice suprême. Préface deJules Barbey d’Aurevilly. Frontispice de Félicien Rops. Paris, Librairie des Auteurs Modernes, 1884,  in-12, half-morocco binding by Blanchetière. First edition. Frontispiece by Félicien Rops, preface de Barbey d’Aurevilly.
• Sémiramis. S.l. [Beauvais], s.d. [Imprimerie professionnelle], s.d. [after 1896], in-4, covers. First edition.  Copy an Japan paper.  Sémiramis was written for Sarah Bernhardt.
• La Philosophie de Léonard de Vinci d’après ses manuscrits. Paris, Félix Alcan, 1910,in-12, half sheepskin binding of the time. First edition (no deluxe paper).

When Swarte presents the futility of human striving

AT LAST!

Life is a long battle for money, sex and power, for light and inspiration... to end irrevocably as à moneyless, sexless, powerless corpse in dark earth, inspiring nothing but worms and chrysanthemums. Free at last...
The futility of human striving, the irony of results being the negatives of our goals, has been Swarte's inspiration for this portfolio.

On this lines, begins the Joost Swarte's portfolio published in 1981 by Futoropolis. The Dutch comic artist, best known for his clear line style of drawing (characteristic of Hergé's work) was discovered in France in the early seventies thanks to Willem and via Charlie, a monthly magazine of the Editions Du Square.
A Consulter : the website of the artist.


Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :

• Swarte (Joost). Enfin ! Paris, Futuropolis, 1981, portfolio, in leaves, solid folder illustrated. Firs edition of the portfolio with 8 boards in colors by Joost Swarten, the first numbered and signed.
  

Flagrant délit : when A. Breton denounces La Chasse Spirituelle

In 1949, in a pamphlet entitled Flagrant Délit, André Breton denounced and came back on one of the funniest literary fakes of the twentieth century. On 19th May of the same year, the editor Le Mercure de France, under the leadership of Maurice Saillet and Pascal Pia, published a lost manuscript of Arthur Rimbaud : La Chasse Spirituelle. In the preface of the book, Pascal Pia put forward the parallels between the previous work of the young poet and these pages. Breton was the first to rose up and demonstrated that those writings were misleading and parody :

Even if the abuse of trust lasts only a second, there is an injury to the innocence - innocence without which there can be no emotional apprehension of a art work and that leaves us with the suspicion of a trap.

Le Mercure de France withdrew the book from sale and gave the profits to the Rimbaud Museum. The perpetrators of this fraud, the actors Nicolas Bataille and akakia Viala, finally came forward and explained their motivation : the theatrical show they had created in 1948, an adaptation of Une Saison En Enfer, was demolished by the critics and they wanted to trap their detractors.
We now know that the manuscript La Chasse Spirituelle probably never existed. This title was made up by Paul Verlaine to designate a compromising correspondence with Rimbaud, discovered by his wife Mathilde, and that he wished not to be used in a divorce proceedings.

Currently, the Librairie Loliée offers :

• [Rimbaud (Arthur)]. La Chasse spirituelle. Introduction de Pascal Pia. Paris, Mercure de France, 1949, in-8 carré, cover. Firs Edition. Copy on velum paper.
• Breton (André). Flagrant Délit. Rimbaud devant la conjuration de l’imposture et du trucage. Paris, Thésée, 1949, illustrated cover. Firs edition. One of the 100 first copies on Holland paper, signed by André Breton . Copy dedicated to Edmond Bomsel.