L'Otage. Drame
Marcoussis. Claudel, Paul
Paris. éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française. 1911
Louis Marcoussis's copy with his original signed Cubist gouache covering the wrappers.
Marcoussis' original gouache covers the entirety of the original wrappers: the front cover, spine and rear wrapper, and is signed by him ('L. Marcoussis') on the front wrapper at lower left. The composition, in typically Marcoussian Cubist-style, is executed in terracotta, pale pink, cream, white and ochre gouache over pencil and incorporates the original printed text of the wrapper; the book also features Marcoussis' ownership signature in blue ink to the initial blank.
The catalogue 'de Parallèlement à Chanson Complète' (2005) features a similar work by Marcoussis, the painted box for a copy of Marcoussis' 'Eaux-Fortes pour Alcools de Guillaume Apollinaire' (Paris, 1934). That work consisted of a gouache painting by Marcoussis for the front cover only of the protective box for the book, also in a typically Marcoussian Cubist style, and was presented by Marcoussis to André Breton ('L'emboîtage fut peint en 1934 - 1935 par Marcoussis pour André Breton ... '). Breton's copy with the painted box was sold at Christie's Paris in 2006.
Paul Claudel's 'L'Otage', written in 1908 - 1910, was the first book to be published by the publisher NRF ('éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française'). The first play of his dramatic historic trilogy, 'La Trilogie des Coûfontaine' (the remaining two parts are 'Le Pain Dur' of 1913 - 1914 and 'Le Père Humilié' of 1915 - 1916), 'L'Otage' was first performed at London's Scala Theatre and had its Parisian debut in 1914 at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier; 'L'Otage' is the most performed of Claudel's trilogy.
[see 'Parallèlement à Chanson Complète' pp. 349 - 352].
Marcoussis' original gouache covers the entirety of the original wrappers: the front cover, spine and rear wrapper, and is signed by him ('L. Marcoussis') on the front wrapper at lower left. The composition, in typically Marcoussian Cubist-style, is executed in terracotta, pale pink, cream, white and ochre gouache over pencil and incorporates the original printed text of the wrapper; the book also features Marcoussis' ownership signature in blue ink to the initial blank.
The catalogue 'de Parallèlement à Chanson Complète' (2005) features a similar work by Marcoussis, the painted box for a copy of Marcoussis' 'Eaux-Fortes pour Alcools de Guillaume Apollinaire' (Paris, 1934). That work consisted of a gouache painting by Marcoussis for the front cover only of the protective box for the book, also in a typically Marcoussian Cubist style, and was presented by Marcoussis to André Breton ('L'emboîtage fut peint en 1934 - 1935 par Marcoussis pour André Breton ... '). Breton's copy with the painted box was sold at Christie's Paris in 2006.
Paul Claudel's 'L'Otage', written in 1908 - 1910, was the first book to be published by the publisher NRF ('éditions de la Nouvelle Revue Française'). The first play of his dramatic historic trilogy, 'La Trilogie des Coûfontaine' (the remaining two parts are 'Le Pain Dur' of 1913 - 1914 and 'Le Père Humilié' of 1915 - 1916), 'L'Otage' was first performed at London's Scala Theatre and had its Parisian debut in 1914 at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier; 'L'Otage' is the most performed of Claudel's trilogy.
[see 'Parallèlement à Chanson Complète' pp. 349 - 352].
pp. 205. 8vo. (192 x 140 mm). Contemporary green morocco-backed marbled boards, title gilt to spine, marbled endpapers, original wrappers and backstrip with Marcoussis' signed gouache painting preserved, t.e.g.
#42193
