VALLOTTON Renard, JulesBiblio.com
Histoires naturelles.
189997129Paris: Floury 1899. Toulouse-Lautrec's masterpiece of the illustrated book First edition number 84 of 100 copies only one of the most celebrated and sought-after of all livres d'artiste some of Lautrec's finest illustrations and the prototype of nearly all modern bestiairies Garvey. Lautrec and Jules Renard met first in 1894. The artist asked to illustrate some of the charming and witty portraits of animals and his first sketches were made at the Jardin d'Acclimatation and Jardin des Plantes in 1896. The last two illustrations printed were executed by Lautrec while he was a patient at the Neuilly clinic of Dr Sémalaigne. Renard's Histoire naturelles "contains some of Toulouse Lautrec's most refined draftsmanship and with Yvette Guilbert it is considered one of the masterpieces of the illustrated book. It was Lautrec who requested the pleasure of illustrating Renard's bestiary and Renard agreed hoping for descriptions that 'would please the animals themselves'. The two creative personalities clashed. Lautrec resented the book's limitation to mundane animals while Renard although paid homage to by a cover design of a fox objected to a number of Lautrec's drawings. Today we are amazed that it took Floury twenty years to sell out the edition of 100 copies" Donson/Gripp. Small folio 310 x 220 mm. With an original transfer lithograph to front wrapper on Japan paper and 22 throughout the text on vélin paper by Toulouse-Lautrec. Finely bound in 1973 by Pierre Lucien Martin 1913-1985 in olive green modelled calf titles to covers in raised lettering. Housed in a matching quarter calf chemise and slipcase. Foot of spine lightly rubbed with one small nick contents fresh; slipcase slightly sunned and rubbed. A finely bound copy. Adhémar 333-355; The Artist and the Book 304; Delteil 297-319; Donson/Gripp Great Lithographs by Toulouse-Lautrec nos. 78/79; Garvey 304 "Now one of the greatest rarities of the 19th century. Not only does it contain some of Lautrec's finest illustration but it is the prototype of nearly all modern bestiaries"; Rauch 17; Wittrock Toulouse-Lautrec I 202-224. unknown
Peter Harrington · Royaume-Uni20 000,00 £GB≈ 22 836,00 €
