Jean ARP - Original print - black wood - Untitled (A poem in each Paul Eluard book)

Artist : Jean ARP (1886-1966)

Title : Untitled (A poem in each Paul Eluard book)

Medium : Black wood on paper​

Type of work : Original print signed by hand in pencil by the artist at the bottom right and numbered 3/4. This work is an additional wide-margined edition of illustration 8 of the tribute book to Eluard "a poem in each book" published in 1956 in 120 copies. In the book illustration 8 is positioned next to Paul Eluard's poem "Défense de savoir" (see poem below) taken from the eponymous collection (1928). The work offered here comes from the album called "Album A", Reprinted from the book in 20 copies. Each album contains, like the book, 16 prints (including this work by Jean Arp) but they were printed with wide margins and unlike the prints in the book, all signed or monogrammed by the artists. The album we have was the property of the publisher Louis BRODER. It stands out from the others because it is enriched in addition to the 16 large-margined illustrations with many other prints collected by the publisher throughout his collaboration with the artists on this book.

Dimensions : 51 x 33 cm (Image 18 x 16,5 cm)

Condition : Good

Provenance : Genevieve and Jean Paul Kahn collection

Expert's comment: In progress

The Album and the Book :

Explanatory photo 1: Comparison between Album A offprint of "a poem in each book" printed in 20 copies and the book "a poem in each book" printed in 120 copies.
Explanatory photo 2: Album A offprint of 20 copies having belonged to the publisher Louis Broder contained in a gray canvas box with a label stuck on the back and the first cover.
Explanatory photo 3: Proof of printing of Album A which indicates the maximum number of copies of prints contained in total in the 20 albums as well as the names of the artists. It is annotated in red pencil "Editor's copy B" because it belonged to Louis Broder.
Explanatory photo 4: Original print signed and printed with wide margins by Pablo Picasso, contained in album A
Explanatory photo 5: Original print signed and printed with large margins by Max Ernst, contained in album A
Explanatory photo 6: Book "a poem in each book" printed in 120 copies, containing the 16 prints unsigned by the artists (signatures on the proof of printing of the book)
Explanatory photo 7: Print by Pablo Picasso on double page, unsigned contained in the book "a poem in each book"
Explanatory photo 8: Print by Max Ernst unsigned contained in the book "a poem in each book"

To discover in pictures the history of Album A and the rare prints it contains, click on the video below !

Biography of the artist : Jean Arp is an internationally renowned French painter, poet and sculptor born in Strasbourg in 1886. After studying decorative arts in Strasbourg, Paris and Weimar, he decided to devote himself to poetry. In 1909, he met Paul Klee, and a few years later took part in the Cavalier Bleu exhibition; a group of expressionist-influenced artists created in Zurich. In 1916, he joined the Dada movement and notably illustrated "Vingt Cinq Poèmes" by Tristan Tzara. From 1926 to 1930, he became a founding member of the Abstraction-Création group, which brought together a collective of non-figurative artists. In 1954, he received the Grand Prix International de Sculpture at the Venice Biennale, and the Grand Prix National des Arts in 1963.​

History of the book and the album: We advise you to read our blog "THE ALBUM OF LOUIS BRODER: A LEGENDARY PORTFOLIO".

About Paul ELUARD : We advise you to read our blog "PAUL ELUARD: THE CHOSEN ONE OF THE ART".

Some verses of the poem "Defense of knowledge":
My presence is not here.
I am dressed by myself.
There is no planet that holds
Clarity exists without me.

Born from my hand over my eyes
And diverting me from my path
The shadow prevents me from walking
On my crown of universe,
In the large habitable mirror,
Mirror broken, moving, reverse
Where habit and surprise
Take turns creating boredom.
...