227 - Pablo Picasso - Pierre Reverdy. *Le chant des morts*. Poems. Original lithographs by Pablo Picasso. Paris, Tériade 1948. With 125 lithographs printed in red, two of which are on the cover. Loose double-sheets in the original cover. In a slipcase and box.

Pablo Picasso - Pierre Reverdy. *Le chant des morts*. Poems. Original lithographs by Pablo Picasso. Paris, Tériade 1948. With 125 lithographs printed in red, two of which are on the cover. Loose double-sheets in the original cover. In a slipcase and box. Starting bid time: approx. 3:01 p.m. (schedule subject to change) One of 250 copies, plus 20 “hors commerce” copies. - Signed by the artist and author in the colophon. - On “Arches” vellum. - Untrimmed, folded sheets. - The text was lithographically printed by Draeger Frères based on Reverdy’s manuscript. - One of Picasso’s most extraordinary series of illustrations, characterized by its strict reduction to black and red, which lends it great intensity and, at the same time, a playful spontaneity. “The manuscript is thus illuminated, which lends the book a ritual, religious character” (Herma Goeppert-Frank). - “Picasso’s earliest engagement with the plan to illustrate [Reverdy’s recently completed poem] dates from November 10, 1945. Two days later, a basic form of the visual language characteristic of the entire cycle had been found: the grid marked with dots or knots. “This abstract illustration is content to structure the text, so to speak, through the striking of a gong, by enclosing or underlining certain words with a broad red line, or by placing certain symbols in the margins here and there that function as brackets...” (Jardot, 1955). [...] It is by far Picasso’s most extensive series of illustrations. The drawing style became an important compositional principle.” (Güse/Rau). Goeppert/Cramer 50. - Bloch 524 and livres 50. - Mourlot 117. - Güse/Rau 220–344. - LC 2001 70. - CCAB, p. 129. - Monod 9676. - Rauch 70 42.7 × 32.5 cm. 117, [9] pages. - Slipcase stained; spine of the chemise cracked. - Some foxing throughout; a few pages more heavily affected. English description: Includes 125 lithographs printed in red, two of which are on the cover. Loose double-sheets in the original wrapper. In a chemise and slipcase. One of 250 copies, plus 20 “hors commerce” copies. - Signed by the artist and author in the colophon. - On “Arches” vellum. - Untrimmed, folded sheets. - The text was lithographically printed by Draeger Frères based on Reverdy’s manuscript. - One of Picasso’s most extraordinary series of illustrations, characterized by great intensity and, at the same time, playful spontaneity in its strict reduction to black and red. - “Despite their long friendship, which began when Tériade was working for Christian Zervos, this 1948 book is the only collaboration between the publisher and Picasso. Reverdy completed his series of forty-three poems in January 1945. Despite his plan to illustrate the book in a traditional manner, Picasso created one of the most radical works in his entire body of book illustrations. He complemented the text, handwritten by Reverdy, with bold strokes that functioned like an illuminated manuscript but were closer in emotional force to the power of calligraphy.” (Robert Flynn Johnson, in: LC) Slipcase foxed, spine of the chemise split. - Minor foxing throughout; some pages are more affected.