LAURENS (Henri) - HOMÈRE. - Lot 135

LAURENS (Henri) - HOMÈRE. L'Odyssée. [Paris : Creuzevault], 1952 - In-4, 318 x 209 : (30 ff., penultimate blank), illustrated cover. Black box, first cover decorated in the center with a composition drawn in black and white fillets on mosaic pieces of blue, white and black box, reproducing a design by Henri Laurens, smooth spine, black suede lining and endpapers, first cover retained, folder and slipcase (Creuzevault). Edition featuring Chants V and VI of Homer's The Odyssey in the French translation by Victor Bérard, illustrated with 14 original woodcuts by Henri LAURENS (1885-1954), including 1 on the cover, 1 on the title, 1 full-page and 11 in the text. Edition of 150 copies signed by the artist; this is one of the 25 nominative copies reserved for contributors, specially printed on China paper for Colette Creuzevault, wife of bookbinder and publisher Henri Creuzevault. Like the first copies, it is accompanied by a suite of illustrations, also on chine paper. A precious copy in a beautiful mosaic binding by Henri Creuzevault. It has been enriched with the following items: - signed autograph letter from the artist to Colette Creuzevault, accompanied by an original drawing, - 2 ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS, 125 x 125, TAKEN BY ROSE ADLER ON JULY 14, 1953 IN VICQ, one showing Henri Laurens, the second showing the same artist accompanied by Colette Creuzevault. Notes in pen on verso, including the place and date of the photo, and the fact that "Rose mentions this day in Vicq in her diary". Remains of glued paper on verso. - Photograph of the binding, - 2 receipts signed by Henri Laurens, one dated November 26, 1952 for the sum of 100,000 francs on account for the Odyssey illustration, the other dated December 1952 for the sum of 100,000 francs for 15 drawings for the book, - printer's invoice to Creuzevault for "custom printing" of L'Odyssée. The binding and interior of the book are perfectly preserved. The dust jacket and slipcase, on the other hand, are very damaged, with many missing parts. Provenance: Colette Creuzevault, with consignment from the artist.