Picasso, Pablo, illus.

Tristan Tzara.  De Mémoire d'homme.  (Paris): Bordas, (1950)



In 4s (12  3/8  x 10 in.; 321 x 254 mm).  9 lithographed plates by Picasso printed by Mourlot, text printed by G. Girard, publisher's printed parchement wrappers bound in; occasional very light finger soiling, not affecting plates.  Full gray morocco by J. Anthoine-Legrain, spine lettered in white, covers with abstract design of irregular geometric forms in brown, blue, black, white and yellow morocco onlays and black calf onlays, edges gilt, black suede liners; minimal wear.  Chemise and slipcase; some wear to extremities of slipcase.

Artist & the Book 234; Bareiss/Toledo p. 195;  Cramer 59

Copy 5 of 30 copies on van Gelder, signed by Picasso and Tzara and with an extra suite of plates on imperial japon (of a whole edition of 350). 

Tristan Tzara worked on his great autobiographical poem, De Mémoire d'homme, between 1946 and 1949.  As the poem neared completion, Tzara attended an exhibition of Picasso's most recent work and was struck by the "liberty of spirit and love of things and of forms" which he found in the post-war paintings.  He wrote to Picasso and suggested that the artist do a series of illustrations for the poem.  Picasso agreed, but did not get to the illustrations till 16 April 1950.  On this day he made the cover for the second volume of Picasso lithographie as well as the nine lithographs for the present work, using, as Patrick Cramer writes, "a somewhat unusual procedure: he dipped his 'painting' finger into the lithographic ink, and then drew flora and fauna designs, which are at once familiar and strange; he then marked their contours with lithographic chalk."  The resulting prints, many with Picasso's fingerprints clearly visible, echo the "liberty of spirit" which drew Tzara to the artist's recent work.