Rare books from Capricedardour

Original etching and drypoint; 137 x 131mm (image); sheet: 297 x 224mm. A fine impression on watermarked laid paper, signed in pencil underneath the image by Legros. - Bliss 1923, no. 614. - Note: this impression is not from the published edition by the Gazette des Beaux-Arts in 1904.

Paris, Ed. de La Revue Blanche, 1902, 12mo, pp. 302; contemporary red half leather binding (signed: P. Dayre), with marbled boards, top edge gilt; both orig. wrappers, in good condition, are bound in. - Pierre Bonnard designed the front-cover with a watercolour drawing. - Text-pages browned (as always), and otherwise a very attractive copy. - First edition of the novel, d'un libertinage élégant, set in the 18th century, in Touraine, where Boylesve grew up. The book became, in the first half of the 20th century, one of the most illustrated French literary texts. - This copy has the mention cinquième mille at the base of the front-cover, but note that in the same year of its publication, 1902, the Editions de La Revue Blanche closed down, and its stock was taken over by the publisher Eugène Fasquelle. Future editions were not similar.

Etching and dry-point, signed in the plate and dated 1876. 121 x 81mm (image). A fine impression on Van Gelder paper with large margins, 400 x 300mm. Sheet very lightly and evenly darkened by age, but good condition. This is not a published etching; only a few proofs. - Delchevalerie no. 21; Liège 1981, Adrien de Witte, no. 126. - "A partir de 1875... commence une magistrale série d'eaux-fortes. (…) Adrien de Witte fait prendre à la gravure liégeoise un tournant décisif. Libérant la gravure de son rôle de reproduction, il la traite pour elle-même, faisant œuvre originale. Les sujets sont puisés dans la vie quotidienne." (Françoise Clercx-Léonard-Etienne, Adrien de Witte, Liège, 1981, p. 29-30).

Orig. lithograph; 352 x 262mm (image); sheet: 530 x 342mm. A good impression by Engelmann on chine-appliqué. The full sheet, blank verso, being plate 402 from Baron Taylor's Voyages pittoresques et romantiques dans l'ancienne France, which was published in parts, 1820 to 1878. - There's a subtle suggestion of foxing in a couple of spots in the margins, but overall very good condition. - Aglaus Bouvenne, Cat. de l'œuvre gravé et lithographié de R.P. Bonington, Paris 1873, p. 16. - We all know that Bonington was an outstanding painter, watercolorist and draughtsman, but he also contributed considerably to the patrimony of early artistic lithography. Bonington was passionate about this new medium, and in spite of his short career - he died one month shy of his 26th anniversary - left us over sixty lithographs. La rue du Gros Horloge à Rouen (also from Baron Taylor's Voyages, and also printed by Engelmann), is often regarded as his lithographic masterpiece. The print here offered is perhaps somewhat… Read More

Orig. lithograph; 150 x 234mm (image); sheet: 227 x 305mm. Plate 13 from the series Croquis par divers Artistes, published by Rittner and Ostervald aîné (Paris), and Ch. Tilt (London), 1830-1831. Printed on wove paper by Lemercier. - Very mild foxing, mostly visible at the verso in the middle; traces of old mounting at the top of the verso. - Hédiard 15, second state; Curtis 12; Miquel 1690. - "Une des plus jolies est le n° 15, où se trouvent une vieille lanterne pendue à un clou, et au-dessous un baquet et une manne de raies. Sur ses poissons, quelques coups de grattoir, entamant la pierre profondément, ont donné des reliefs de blanc à rendre jaloux nos modernes faiseurs de gravures modelées." Germain Hédiard: Eugène Isabey. Etude suivie du Catalogue de son Œuvre, posthumously published by Delteil, Paris 1906.

London, E. Mathews; Boston, Copeland & Day, 1895, 8vo, pp. xi, 116; orig. iron blue paper boards, lettered dark blue at the spine. - Second (first 'trade') edition, limited to 750 copies for England and America, which was preceded by an issue of 25 copies signed by the poet. - Printed on handmade paper at the Chiswick Press under the supervision of Herbert Horne, who also provided a striking red and black title-page. - Very slight wear (chipping) at the extreme ends of spine; top edge dusty; a pale brownish stain on endpaper and prelims., not touching printed areas. Otherwise, and in general effect, a very nice copy of a scarce Nineties title, with a bookplate (C.C. Paine) to the front pastedown. - Kraus, Copeland and Day, 18; Russell Taylor: The Art Nouveau book in Britain, p. 70, illustration.

An atmospheric study, pen and ink, with charcoal. Cross-hatching has been used to pick out the heavy contrast between the shadow and light fabric around the sitter's waist. - Signed, upper right corner (and perhaps also dated; '11); on wove paper. - Condition: there is some surface dirt and light discolouration to the edges of the page; otherwise the condition is fine. - Size: 12.4" x 8.5"; sheet size: 13.6" x 11.3". - Provenance: ex collection of the artist's lover, model and housekeeper, Hilda; given to Hilda's nephew Dennis Alfred Steven Hopper upon Hilda's death; given to Douglas James Hopper (Hilda's great nephew) upon his father Dennis's death. - Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from a British art dealer. - Acclaimed early 20th century British artist with an instantly recognisable narrative style. A huge part of the artist's many graphite, charcoal, watercolour and ink drawings has only recently been brought into the open. During the years at Tunbridge Wells (1933-1959), Hope Read… Read More

A finely drawn group of intimate pastel studies, showing the artist's lover, Hilda, and there's quite tender, subtle beauty in these drawings. The sheets vary in size; the largest, on cream white paper, measures (22 x 14,5cm), the smallest (13 x 9cm). Unsigned; on wove paper. - Condition: a few mild foxing spots (at upper left corner) of the largest drawing, on white paper, and a little creasing. The three others are in excellent condition. - Size of the largest study: 8.2" x 5.2"; sheet: 8.8" x 5.7". - Provenance: ex collection of the artist's lover, model and housekeeper, Hilda; given to Hilda's nephew Dennis A.S. Hopper upon Hilda's death; given to Douglas James Hopper (Hilda's great nephew) upon his father Dennis's death. - Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from a British art dealer. - Early 20th century British artist who was remarkably skilled in a variety of drawing techniques, and a huge part of the many graphite, charcoal, watercolour and ink drawings of the artist has only… Read More

Eau-forte originale; aquatinte; une des 20 de l'album "Du Ier au XXe. Les arrondissements de Paris", 1903. Album tiré à 200 exemplaires dont 175 sur papier crème de Hollande, comme ici. Ces eaux-fortes sont signées dans les plaques, et on ne les trouvent quasiment jamais signées à la main. -1/175 sur Hollande. 184 x 148mm (image); avec les marges: 217 x 165mm. Monté sur le support anthracite d'origine. Comme publié; en très bon état. - Laran 196. - A great print; likely the best from the album, and certainly a major print within his entire engraved work (436 prints). Apart that this print shows very well the artist's skills as an etcher, there's something else and unusual. Normally the weather does not play an important role in Béjot's etchings, mostly urban landscapes/scenes, while here the weather is very much pronounced. Therefore the print can be seen as a salute/tribute to a colleague printmaker, Félix Buhot, a friend, somewhat older than Béjot, who had died April 1898, and who was… Read More

Orig. lithograph, 1894. Size; 226 x 142mm. A good impression on wove paper, the full sheet, small margins all round, as supplementary published in La Revue Blanche (N° 30, April 1894). - Traces at the verso from old mounting to a passe-partout (see second picture), but else in good condition. - Salomon 9; Bremen 1965, Roussel, Gr. 9. -Paris 1968, Orangerie des Tuileries, "Vuillard, Roussel", n° 218: "La date de cette lithographie (1894) apporte un précieux point de repère dans l'histoire de la gravure française à la fin du XIXème siècle. Entre l'art de Redon et celui de Munch, 'Noli me tangere' constitue un relai particulièrement significatif... les noirs profonds, chargés d'angoisse, d'Odilon Redon, sont assurément à l'origine de cette oeuvre troublante. Les premiers bois de Munch furent gravés à Paris en 1895. Or 'Noli me tangere' étant paru en 1894... Munch n'a pu l'ignorer. (...) Tandis que Munch approfondira jusqu'au paroxysme ce climat angoissant, Roussel se dirigera vers son… Read More

"November" - Trekvogels in maannacht [ = Migratory birds in moon night]. Original colour lithograph, printed on chine appliqué (collé), 1907; monogram in the right lower corner of the image. Image size: 220 x 151mm; with the wide margins: 450 x 331mm. There's very mild foxing in the margins only. - De Groot / Rijksmuseum, n° 154; Godoli, page 62. -Very rare proof impression of the central image of Hoytema's calendar page for November, 1907. Very few proofs as this were printed. The captivating image is illustrated and discussed by Cliff Ackley on pages 120-121 of the catalogue "Holland on Paper in the Age of Art Nouveau" (Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, 2014). Between 1902 till 1909 these calendars were published by Hoytema himself. - The closest thing to a pure landscape among all Van Hoytema's calendar lithographs.

Paris, Félix Hermet, no date (but mid 19th c.), 190 x 274mm, pp. (26); orig. half cloth, gilt lettering on front board. The complete album as issued by the publisher. - Small word by Hermet, mainly on this publication, and ten orig. lithographs by Isabey, printed (recto only) on Bristol paper, which is an excellent paper for lithographic printing. These ten lithos are part of the 13 which Isabey provided for "Croquis par divers artistes", first published by Rittner and Osterwald aîné (Paris), and by Charles Tilt, London, ca. 1830. The stones then moved to Danlos who resold them again to Félix Hermet, who made the album here offered. - Germain Hédiard (Delteil 1906), the lithographs described at pages 31-34 (3th, 4th, and/or 5th state); Atherton Curtis 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 21. - Slight rubbing at edges and corners of the cover; a few very faint foxing spots in the first plate; very good condition thus for this very rare album. - Eugène Isabey (1803-1886) himself paid little… Read More

Texte publié par Jacques Crépet et Claude Pichois [avec notes et éclaircissements, pages 205-329]. - Paris, 1951, 8vo, pp. 329 (4); broché; couverture de papier beige, imprimée en bleu. Véritable édition originale, hors commerce, tirée à 165 exemplaires; un de 90 ex. sur papier Johannot, filigané. - Seul l'Argument avait été publié en 1890 et 1903, et la première édition mise dans le commerce de 'Pauvre Belgique' figure au tome III des Oeuvres Complètes de Ch. Baudelaire, chez le même éditeur Lambert, sous la date de 1952. - La couverture légèrement décolorée (voir les photos), sinon très bon état.

Eau-forte originale. 149 x 199mm (image); avec les marges: 345 x 395mm. Impression en bistre foncé sur vergé épais. Monogrammé et daté (1906) dans la plaque en bas au centre. Cardon 44. - D'un tirage posthume, sans précisions. Quelques épreuves probablement. Bon état.

[Contes et Nouvelles en Vers de Jean de La Fontaine. Paris, Librairie de France, 1930]. - Il s'agit d'une suite non indiquée au justificatif, jointe à certaines exemplaires ou vendue à part de l'ouvrage; suite au nombre variable (13-15), ici 15, sous chemise muette rempliée. Tiré à 350 exemplaires sur vélin d'Arches. - Les sujets sont inspirés de l'ouvrage mais sont bien différents des illustrations dans le livre du fait du caractère curiosa voulu. Ces planches, eaux-fortes originales avec aquatinte, sont légendées en rapport avec les contes. Mesures des planches: 285 x 225mm. En bon état. D'une beauté raffinée.