Un Cadavre
Aragon, Louis, André Breton, Paul Eluard, Philippe Soupault et al
(Neuilly-sur-Seine). (Imp[rimerie]. Spéciale 'du Cadavre'). 1924, 18 octobre
A very good copy of the scarce, first collective Surrealist tract 'Un Cadavre'.
Not to be confused with the later 1930 Surrealist anti-Breton tract also titled 'Un Cadavre', this 1924 version - it is notable as the first collective tract issued by the Surrealist group - was prompted by the funeral of Anatole France (1844 - 1924). The first Surrealist manifesto was published on October 15th, 1924 (although the dissident Surrealists had published an earlier manifesto on October 1st), while 'Un Cadavre' was issued on the 18th. The vitriolic tone of the text provoked - as intended - outrage and caused a scandalous sensation at the violent attack on a figure regarded as the model of French literary magnificence. An academician, France had been nominated for and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1921 but his achievements meant little to the iconoclastic generation that included Louis Aragon, André Breton, Paul Eluard, Philippe Soupault et al.
The texts in 'Un Cadavre' include the following: 'L'Erreur' (Philippe Soupault); 'Un Vieillard Comme les Autres' (Paul Eluard); 'Ne Nous la Faites Pas à l'Oseille' (Pierre Drieu la Rochelle); 'Anatole France ou la Médiocrité Dorée' (Joseph Delteil); 'Refus D'Inhumer' (André Breton); 'Avez-Vous Déjà Giflé un Mort?' (Louis Aragon). Apparent contributions from his doctors, 'Guillaume': 'Le cerveau de France est digne de son génie' as well as 'Mignon et Gaudeau' are also included as well as anonymous contributions. 'Un Cadavre' concludes with the banner: 'A LA PROCHAINE OCCASION IL Y AURA UN NOUVEAU CADAVRE'. With hindsight the irony is poignant that the 'nouveau cadavre' was to be André Breton himself in the 1930 iteration of 'Un Cadavre'.
'Un Cadavre' is scarce, and digital versions aside, we locate examples at the Tate, France's Bibliothèque Nationale and Médiathèque de Montpellier as well as MoMA, the Getty, Johns Hopkins, Yale and Columbia in the US; it is possible that the example at Columbia, included with the copy of 'La Révolution Surréaliste' belonging to Jean Carrive, is the later 1930 version.
[Ades 9.76, see pg. 235].
Not to be confused with the later 1930 Surrealist anti-Breton tract also titled 'Un Cadavre', this 1924 version - it is notable as the first collective tract issued by the Surrealist group - was prompted by the funeral of Anatole France (1844 - 1924). The first Surrealist manifesto was published on October 15th, 1924 (although the dissident Surrealists had published an earlier manifesto on October 1st), while 'Un Cadavre' was issued on the 18th. The vitriolic tone of the text provoked - as intended - outrage and caused a scandalous sensation at the violent attack on a figure regarded as the model of French literary magnificence. An academician, France had been nominated for and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1921 but his achievements meant little to the iconoclastic generation that included Louis Aragon, André Breton, Paul Eluard, Philippe Soupault et al.
The texts in 'Un Cadavre' include the following: 'L'Erreur' (Philippe Soupault); 'Un Vieillard Comme les Autres' (Paul Eluard); 'Ne Nous la Faites Pas à l'Oseille' (Pierre Drieu la Rochelle); 'Anatole France ou la Médiocrité Dorée' (Joseph Delteil); 'Refus D'Inhumer' (André Breton); 'Avez-Vous Déjà Giflé un Mort?' (Louis Aragon). Apparent contributions from his doctors, 'Guillaume': 'Le cerveau de France est digne de son génie' as well as 'Mignon et Gaudeau' are also included as well as anonymous contributions. 'Un Cadavre' concludes with the banner: 'A LA PROCHAINE OCCASION IL Y AURA UN NOUVEAU CADAVRE'. With hindsight the irony is poignant that the 'nouveau cadavre' was to be André Breton himself in the 1930 iteration of 'Un Cadavre'.
'Un Cadavre' is scarce, and digital versions aside, we locate examples at the Tate, France's Bibliothèque Nationale and Médiathèque de Montpellier as well as MoMA, the Getty, Johns Hopkins, Yale and Columbia in the US; it is possible that the example at Columbia, included with the copy of 'La Révolution Surréaliste' belonging to Jean Carrive, is the later 1930 version.
[Ades 9.76, see pg. 235].
[Bifolium of newsprint paper]. 4to. (320 x 248 mm). Printed text recto and verso in columns in newspaper format throughout, sheet with central crease as issued, small tear to upper blank margin of first leaf, very small chips to lower blank margin of final leaf. Loose as issued.
#48610
