Intermezzo
The literary collaboration between the post-Expressionist poet Paul van Ostaijen and the graphic artist Joris Minne culminated in this limited bibliophile edition of Intermezzo (1929). Although Van Ostaijen died in 1928, this work captures the artistic spirit of the Antwerp avant-garde circles. It combines Van Ostaijen's sharp, modern prose with Minne's dynamic, often Expressionistic woodcuts, a key figure in the revival of Flemish graphic art. The choice of an exclusive print run on handmade Pannekoek paper and the illustrator's signature emphasize the bibliophile nature of the work. The book is a rare testament to the dialogue between literature and visual arts in the interwar period, and its publication by Bibliofielen Vereeniging Tijl highlights the appreciation for high-quality book production. It is a crucial object for the study of both Flemish modern poetry and graphic art history. The three woodcuts provide a visual 'intermezzo' to the text. This is an exceptionally fine and complete copy.
Quantity
Ostaijen, Paul van
Joris Minne
Intermezzo
1929 | Antwerpen | Bibliofielen Vereeniging Tijl
This signed deluxe copy on Pannekoek paper is a masterpiece of post-war Flemish book art, bringing together avant-garde literature and the renewed graphic technique of the interwar period.
The literary collaboration between the post-Expressionist poet Paul van Ostaijen and the graphic artist Joris Minne culminated in this limited bibliophile edition of Intermezzo (1929). Although Van Ostaijen died in 1928, this work captures the artistic spirit of the Antwerp avant-garde circles. It combines Van Ostaijen's sharp, modern prose with Minne's dynamic, often Expressionistic woodcuts, a key figure in the revival of Flemish graphic art. The choice of an exclusive print run on handmade Pannekoek paper and the illustrator's signature emphasize the bibliophile nature of the work. The book is a rare testament to the dialogue between literature and visual arts in the interwar period, and its publication by Bibliofielen Vereeniging Tijl highlights the appreciation for high-quality book production. It is a crucial object for the study of both Flemish modern poetry and graphic art history. The three woodcuts provide a visual 'intermezzo' to the text. This is an exceptionally fine and complete copy.
€610
Condition Report:
In-Depth Study
References & Bibliography
Format
In-8 (Octavo) approx. 20 × 26 cm
Edition Particulars
1 of 75 numbered copies on handmade Pannekoek laid paper. Signed by Joris Minne.
Print Run
85
Copy Number
33
Paper
Pannekoek vergé
Inscription
Signed by the Illustrator
Product DETAIL
Intermezzo is a collection of prose texts or 'grotesques' by Paul van Ostaijen, characterized by his typical blend of humor, satire, and existential reflection. The texts are fragmented, experimental, and often critical of the bourgeois society of his time. The themes revolve around the observation of modern city life, the alienation of the individual, and the search for a new literary form. The work can be considered a transitional phase in his oeuvre, where he moves away from pure Expressionism to explore new, more Dadaist and abstract paths. Minne's illustrations reinforce this atmosphere of alienation and social critique. The book is exemplary of Flemish modern literature from the interwar period.
Morand, Paul · Hugo, Jean
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This first separate edition of *Les Amis nouveaux* combines Paul Morand’s swift, ironic prose with nine original copper drypoints by Jean Hugo. The brief novella compresses a love triangle into the tense intimacy of a single dinner. Morand’s controlled dialogue and incisive observations reveal how rivalry can unexpectedly turn into mutual understanding. Hugo accompanies the text with a refined linear vocabulary that heightens its worldly lightness and psychological ambiguity. The bistre or sanguine tones give the prints a warm, almost intimate presence on the page. As a numbered large-paper copy on vergé d’Arches, the book has considerable bibliophilic appeal.
Illustrated Book
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*Arrière-histoire du poème pulvérisé* is a later illustrated edition of a key text in which René Char looks back on the genesis and inner background of *Le Poème pulvérisé*. Published in 1972 by Imprimerie Union, it opens with a colour frontispiece by Nicolas de Staël. The pairing of Char and de Staël is especially charged: two post-war voices, each seeking concentration, clarity, and rupture in his own medium. This copy is one of only six hors commerce copies on Arches and is signed. The autograph presentation inscription to Doctor Marcel Zara, with poetic quotation and October 1972 dating, makes it a deeply personal copy.
