Books

With 15 orig. lithographs by Francis Gruber, repeated in Sepia as an extra suite on China. 102, (10) SS. Folio. Loose quires as issued in orig. printed wrappers, sleeve and slipcase (the last one faded in parts and somewhat worn). No. 1 of 20 copies on Japon Nacr� with the extra suite on China paper of a total limited edition of 132. The only book illustrated by Francis Gruber (1912 1948), published six years after his death only, while the lithographs were created in 1945 already. Gruber started his career as an artist at the age of 18 with the participation of the Salon de l automne in the Tuileries and awarded with the "Prix national de peinture" in 1947. In 1938, Gruber became acquainted with Alberto Giacometti who later on was his friendly consultant and who painted his grave in Thom�ry. Nobody lesser than Louis Aragon had the speech at Gruber s funeral. Gruber has to be considered as one of the few representatives of the expressionist movement in France. "On peut penser que Gruber eut tort de peindre une oeuvre qui n appartient pas � son temps, mais on ne peut nier le pouvoir d envo�tement de cette oeuvre" (B�n�zit). Monod 1174. Inside fine.

Le Spleen de Paris, also known as 'Paris Spleen', is a collection of 50 short prose poems by Charles Baudelaire.