27 - René CHAR. *Le Rempart de brindilles*, illustrated with original engravings by Wifredo Lam. Paris, Louis Broder, 1953.

René CHAR. *Le Rempart de brindilles*, illustrated with original engravings by Wifredo Lam. Paris, Louis Broder, 1953. In-8, loose-leaf, illustrated hardcover, with the publisher’s illustrated slipcase. First edition. First volume of the “Écrits et gravures” collection. Limited edition of 150 copies on Rives vellum: one of the 100 copies signed by the poet and the painter. Wifredo Lam’s illustrations include four color engravings within the text and one engraving covering the gilt-edged cover. “Although they had met before and during the war […], it was in May 1947 or 1948 that René Char, upon entering Pierre Loeb’s gallery, saw Wifredo Lam’s painting […]. Since then, Char never ceased to love this world where the imagination unfolds with a fluidity of line tempered by muted tones, which Picasso greatly admired” (Antoine Coron, René Char, p. 225). *Le Rempart de brindilles* is the first illustrated book to emerge from this encounter, if we set aside the manuscript of *À la santé du serpent*, illuminated by the painter in 1951–1952. A beautiful autographed dedication on the half-title page: To Lucien Scheler / Dust falling / on the hand busy / tracing the poem strikes them both; / poem and hand. / Warmest regards / René Char An antiquarian bookseller and poet in his spare time, Lucien Scheler (1902–1999) contributed to *L’Honneur des poètes*, the Resistance anthology published by Minuit. (Coron, René Char, BnF, 2007, no. 181.)