Pantagruel. Derain's main illustrated work, with 128 (21 full-page) original color woodcuts by André Derain. François Rabelais - 1943

Les Horribles et espouvantables faictz et prouesses du très renommé Pantagruel Roy des Dipsodes fils de grand géant Gargantua. François Rabelais, illustrated with colored woodcuts drawn and engraved by André Derain Limited numbered edition of 275 copies, of which this copy is on of 200 in Velin d Arches, signed by the artist on the justification page. Derain's main illustrated work, with 128 (21 full-page) original color woodcuts, 34 color woodcut initials and 18 color woodcut final vignettes. André Derain took full charge of the printing process from the carving of the wood blocks, in the manner of 15th-century cardmakers, to the coloring to which he added special attention to preserve the warm tone of his woodblocks, using a hand - coloring technique: all the wooden blocks had to be colored one after the other by a team of practitioners, in their nuances, according to a scheme established by the painter and repeated in each volume. Loose as issued in half parchment wrappers, chemise and slipcase. Text selection by A. Lefranc, illustrations printed by Andre Derain and Roger Lacourière. Light foxing at the margin, chemise in poor condition. Ref: The Artists and the Book 81.