CENDRARS, BLAISE. 1887-1961. La Fin du monde filmée par l'Ange N.-D. Roman. Paris: Éditions de la Sirène, 1919. 4to (315 x 250 mm). Covers, typography, publisher's device, 7 full-page illustrations, 4 vignettes, 5 illustrated chapter titles, and 3 double page illustrations all by Leger, many colored in pochoir. Morocco-backed cloth, with morocco onlay "MONDE" to upper cover, in the style of Leger, original wrappers bound-in, matching morocco-edged red cloth slipcase, later custom morocco backed folding case. Provenance: Purchased from Librarie Quentin, Geneva, Switzerland (pencil note). FIRST EDITION OF LEGER'S FIRST ILLUSTRATED BOOK IN COLOR, number 431 of 1200 copies. Originally conceived as a film by Cendrars, Jean Cocteau and Leger, the novel in the form of an artist's book was created when funding for the film evaporated. "Léger's illustrations become integral to conveying the filmic progression of the text. Amid his illustrations, Léger includes fragments of Cendrars' text as boldly colored stenciled and block letters, inspired by his love of street signs and silent-movie titles. His dynamic, fractured compositions create a simulation of the moving images of film as the pages of the book are turned" (Wye, Artists and Prints, New York, 2004, p 72). Castleman, A Century of Artist Books, pp 170-171).
CENDRARS, BLAISE. 1887-1961. La Fin du monde filmée par l'Ange N.-D. Roman. Paris: Éditions de la Sirène, 1919. 4to (315 x 250 mm). Covers, typography, publisher's device, 7 full-page illustrations, 4 vignettes, 5 illustrated chapter titles, and 3 double page illustrations all by Leger, many colored in pochoir. Morocco-backed cloth, with morocco onlay "MONDE" to upper cover, in the style of Leger, original wrappers bound-in, matching morocco-edged red cloth slipcase, later custom morocco backed folding case. Provenance: Purchased from Librarie Quentin, Geneva, Switzerland (pencil note). FIRST EDITION OF LEGER'S FIRST ILLUSTRATED BOOK IN COLOR, number 431 of 1200 copies. Originally conceived as a film by Cendrars, Jean Cocteau and Leger, the novel in the form of an artist's book was created when funding for the film evaporated. "Léger's illustrations become integral to conveying the filmic progression of the text. Amid his illustrations, Léger includes fragments of Cendrars' text as boldly colored stenciled and block letters, inspired by his love of street signs and silent-movie titles. His dynamic, fractured compositions create a simulation of the moving images of film as the pages of the book are turned" (Wye, Artists and Prints, New York, 2004, p 72). Castleman, A Century of Artist Books, pp 170-171).
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
