La Rédemption par les bêtes
A distinguished first edition of Montherlant’s *La Rédemption par les bêtes*, on large Rives wove. The book carries 22 lithographs by Pierre Bonnard, begun in 1928 and completed posthumously at Fernand Mourlot’s studio. Text and image answer one another: Bonnard’s intimate line and hushed colour modulate Montherlant’s incisive prose. The generous quarto and the “aux dépens d’un amateur” imprint underscore its bibliophile character. This copy belongs to the coveted issue with three complete suites, expanding the scope of Bonnard’s cycle. Very well preserved in the original chemise and slipcase.
Quantity
Montherlant, Henry de
Bonnard, Pierre
La Rédemption par les bêtes
1959 | Paris | Aux dépens d'un amateur
An exemplary dialogue of text and image, in a luxurious configuration seldom preserved complete. A key title to experience Bonnard’s late graphic art in full.
A distinguished first edition of Montherlant’s *La Rédemption par les bêtes*, on large Rives wove. The book carries 22 lithographs by Pierre Bonnard, begun in 1928 and completed posthumously at Fernand Mourlot’s studio. Text and image answer one another: Bonnard’s intimate line and hushed colour modulate Montherlant’s incisive prose. The generous quarto and the “aux dépens d’un amateur” imprint underscore its bibliophile character. This copy belongs to the coveted issue with three complete suites, expanding the scope of Bonnard’s cycle. Very well preserved in the original chemise and slipcase.
€1,920
Condition Report:
In-Depth Study
References & Bibliography
Format
In-4 (Quarto) approx. 25 × 32 cm
Edition Particulars
One of 40 copies with three complete suites of 39 lithographs: in grey on Japon nacré (including 17 unused), in pink on Rives wove and in green on Rives wove.
Print Run
326
Copy Number
No. 39
Paper
Grand vélin de Rives pour le texte ; suites sur Japon nacré et sur vélin de Rives.
Product DETAIL
Montherlant probes the threshold between instinct and civilisation. Beasts—both image and metaphor—serve as a prism for examining drives, guilt, and the possibility of redemption. The style is taut and aphoristic, casting an oblique light on moral paradoxes. In dialogue with Bonnard’s lithographs, a quiet balance arises between severity and tenderness. The result is a reflective, at times unsparing book that rewards rereading.
Derain, André
Amis & Amille. Mystère du XIVe siècle.
This sumptuously bound book brings a medieval mystery to life through a rare collaboration between ancient literature and modern illustration. The geometric box design on garnet morocco provides striking contrast. André Derain’s 22 color lithographs – including one double and three full-page – enhance the narrative with expressive visual force. Printed on Rives vellum in an edition of 180 numbered copies, this copy (No. 72) was made for Baroness Vaxelaire and includes a suite on fine Japanese paper. The binding by Lucie Weill exemplifies artisanal excellence. A harmonious blend of narrative tradition and graphic daring.
Illustrated Book
€1,460
Michaux, Henri · Bettencourt, Pierre
Arriver à se réveiller
A rare first edition of Arriver à se réveiller, written by Henri Michaux in the tremulous post-war years. The text unfolds as an inward journey toward lucidity, where sleep and waking mirror each other. Printed and published by Pierre Bettencourt in his own workshop, the edition’s small run preserves the work’s intimacy. The title-page vignette, a linocut by Bettencourt, sets a spare, rhythmic visual key that amplifies Michaux’s vigilant, vulnerable tone. This copy is handsomely bound in brown morocco with balsa boards by Miguet, a tactile nod to lightness under tension. For bibliophiles, it is an exemplary union of poetry, craft, and experiment. The volume embodies the independence of the post-war small press and Michaux’s radical sensitivity.
Illustrated Book
€680
Char, Rene · Stael, Nicolas de
Arrière-histoire du poème pulvérisé
*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.
