La Tentation de St. Antoine - 3me Série
Redon, Odilon
Paris. Published by the author. 1896
André Gide's exceptional copy of the 'Troisième Série' of 'La Tentation de St. Antoine' with all of the lithographs signed in pencil by his friend, the artist Odilon Redon.
From the edition limited to 50 copies; this copy features the title signed 'Odilon Redon' in crayon and all 23 of the lithographs signed in pencil by Redon in capitals as usual.
The complete album, comprising the title-page with the lithograph vignette printed in yellow on Japon, and the set of 23 lithographs to illustrate Flaubert's text, printed on chine applique, each signed individually in pencil by Redon with his small capitals within the subject; the lithographs were printed by Clot and Blanchard, Paris.
Redon spent much of 1895 making 'La Tentation de St. Antoine. 3me. Serie' - his first album of lithographs in five years - his third and most ambitious effort based on Flaubert's novel. He produced only one more album of lithographs, 'Apocalypse de St. Jean', in 1899.
'Monsieur, Votre nouvelle suite pour la Tentation de Saint Antoine est si belle, si merveilleuse que je voulais vous exprimer de vive voix toute l'admiration de qui vous aime depuis longtemps déjà ... '. André Gide writing to Odilon Redon in June 1896. This series and Gide's letter, which served to introduce Gide and Redon personally, led to Redon inviting Gide to his studio and the beginning of their friendship.
'Flaubert's first magnum opus, retelling the temptations that afflicted Saint Anthony, was completed over twenty-five years before its publication in 1874. The mystical trials were compelling subjects for Redon, who made three sets of illustrations in which he tried to fathom their symbolic content. The last and largest series of lithographs on the temptations [this set] was commissioned by Vollard and issued in 1896, many decades before they were incorporated into book form after the artist's death.' (Castleman).
Plate 1. Title, printed in yellow on chine .
Plate 2. 'Sainte Antoine: Au secours, mon Dieu!'. (Mellerio 135).
Plate 3. 'Et partout, ce sont des colonnes de basalte, ... La lumière tombe des voutes'. (M.136).
Plate 4. 'Mes baisers ont la goût d'un fruit qui se fondrait dans ton coeur! Tu me dédaignes! Adieu! (M. 137).
Plate 5. 'des fleurs tombent, et la tête d'un python parait'. (M. 138).
Plate 6. 'dans l'ombre, des gens pleurent et prient entourés d'autres qui les exhortent et les consolent'. (M.139).
Plate 7. ' ... et il distingue une plaine aride / et mamelonneuse'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 140).
Plate 8. 'Elle tire de sa pointrine une éponge toute noir, la couvre de baisers'. (M. 141).
Plate 9. ' ... je me suis enfoncé dans la solitude. J'habitais l'arbre derrière moi'. (M. 142)
Plate 10. 'Hélène (Errnoia)'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 143).
Plate 11. 'immédiatement surgissent trois déesses'. (M. 144).
Plate 12. 'l'intelligence fut à moi! Je devins le Buddha!. (M. 145).
Plate 13. ' ... et que des yeux sans tête flottaient comme des molusques'. (M. 146).
Plate 14. 'Oannes: Moi, la première conscience cu Chaos, j'ai surgi de l'abime / pour durcir la matière, pour régler les formes:'. (M. 147).
Plate 15. 'Voici le Bonne - Déesse, l'Idéenne des montagnes'. (M. 148).
Plate 16. 'Je suis toujours la grande Isis! nul encore n'a soulevé mon voile! Mon fruit est le soleil!' (M. 149).
Plate 17. 'Il tombe vers l'abime, la tête en bas'. (M. 150).
Plate 18. 'Antoine: Quel est le but de tout cela? Le Diable: Il n'y a pas de but!'. (M. 151).
Plate 19. 'La Vieille: Que crains-tu? Un large trou noir! Il est vide, peut-être?' (M. 152).
Plate 20. 'La mort: C'est moi qui te rends sérieuse; enlaçons-nous'. (M. 153).
Plate 21. ' ... J'ai quelquefois aperçu dans le ciel comme des formes d'esprits'. (M. 154).
Plate 22. ' ... les bêtes de la mer, rondes comme des outres'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 155).
Plate 23. 'des peuples divers habitent les pays de l'Océan'. (M. 156).
Plate 24. 'Le jour enfin parait, et dans le disque même du soleil, rayonne la face de Jésus-Christ'.
[Mellerio 134 - 157; Manet to Hockney 13; Castleman 11; Logan 6].
From the edition limited to 50 copies; this copy features the title signed 'Odilon Redon' in crayon and all 23 of the lithographs signed in pencil by Redon in capitals as usual.
The complete album, comprising the title-page with the lithograph vignette printed in yellow on Japon, and the set of 23 lithographs to illustrate Flaubert's text, printed on chine applique, each signed individually in pencil by Redon with his small capitals within the subject; the lithographs were printed by Clot and Blanchard, Paris.
Redon spent much of 1895 making 'La Tentation de St. Antoine. 3me. Serie' - his first album of lithographs in five years - his third and most ambitious effort based on Flaubert's novel. He produced only one more album of lithographs, 'Apocalypse de St. Jean', in 1899.
'Monsieur, Votre nouvelle suite pour la Tentation de Saint Antoine est si belle, si merveilleuse que je voulais vous exprimer de vive voix toute l'admiration de qui vous aime depuis longtemps déjà ... '. André Gide writing to Odilon Redon in June 1896. This series and Gide's letter, which served to introduce Gide and Redon personally, led to Redon inviting Gide to his studio and the beginning of their friendship.
'Flaubert's first magnum opus, retelling the temptations that afflicted Saint Anthony, was completed over twenty-five years before its publication in 1874. The mystical trials were compelling subjects for Redon, who made three sets of illustrations in which he tried to fathom their symbolic content. The last and largest series of lithographs on the temptations [this set] was commissioned by Vollard and issued in 1896, many decades before they were incorporated into book form after the artist's death.' (Castleman).
Plate 1. Title, printed in yellow on chine .
Plate 2. 'Sainte Antoine: Au secours, mon Dieu!'. (Mellerio 135).
Plate 3. 'Et partout, ce sont des colonnes de basalte, ... La lumière tombe des voutes'. (M.136).
Plate 4. 'Mes baisers ont la goût d'un fruit qui se fondrait dans ton coeur! Tu me dédaignes! Adieu! (M. 137).
Plate 5. 'des fleurs tombent, et la tête d'un python parait'. (M. 138).
Plate 6. 'dans l'ombre, des gens pleurent et prient entourés d'autres qui les exhortent et les consolent'. (M.139).
Plate 7. ' ... et il distingue une plaine aride / et mamelonneuse'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 140).
Plate 8. 'Elle tire de sa pointrine une éponge toute noir, la couvre de baisers'. (M. 141).
Plate 9. ' ... je me suis enfoncé dans la solitude. J'habitais l'arbre derrière moi'. (M. 142)
Plate 10. 'Hélène (Errnoia)'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 143).
Plate 11. 'immédiatement surgissent trois déesses'. (M. 144).
Plate 12. 'l'intelligence fut à moi! Je devins le Buddha!. (M. 145).
Plate 13. ' ... et que des yeux sans tête flottaient comme des molusques'. (M. 146).
Plate 14. 'Oannes: Moi, la première conscience cu Chaos, j'ai surgi de l'abime / pour durcir la matière, pour régler les formes:'. (M. 147).
Plate 15. 'Voici le Bonne - Déesse, l'Idéenne des montagnes'. (M. 148).
Plate 16. 'Je suis toujours la grande Isis! nul encore n'a soulevé mon voile! Mon fruit est le soleil!' (M. 149).
Plate 17. 'Il tombe vers l'abime, la tête en bas'. (M. 150).
Plate 18. 'Antoine: Quel est le but de tout cela? Le Diable: Il n'y a pas de but!'. (M. 151).
Plate 19. 'La Vieille: Que crains-tu? Un large trou noir! Il est vide, peut-être?' (M. 152).
Plate 20. 'La mort: C'est moi qui te rends sérieuse; enlaçons-nous'. (M. 153).
Plate 21. ' ... J'ai quelquefois aperçu dans le ciel comme des formes d'esprits'. (M. 154).
Plate 22. ' ... les bêtes de la mer, rondes comme des outres'. Signed in pencil by Redon. (M. 155).
Plate 23. 'des peuples divers habitent les pays de l'Océan'. (M. 156).
Plate 24. 'Le jour enfin parait, et dans le disque même du soleil, rayonne la face de Jésus-Christ'.
[Mellerio 134 - 157; Manet to Hockney 13; Castleman 11; Logan 6].
[24 leaves]. Folio. (586 x 410 mm). Leaf with lithograph title and vignette printed in vermillion and signed in crayon by Redon and 23 original lithographs on chine appliqué by Redon mounted to larger sheets of stiff card, each with printed title beneath and signed on the lithograph by Redon in pencil. Loose as issued in original publisher's wrapper with lithograph vignette and text and original burgundy portfolio with gilt titles to front cover.
#48749
