First edition of Dali's first surrealist work . The first edition of Dali's first surrealist work, which marked both his entry into the Surrealist movement and the beginning of his literary career.

The 'femme visible' refers to Dalí's wife Gala, who inspired him to create the book and to whom the work is dedicated. Her portrait is placed opposite the metallic covers to provide a reflection of her. It is Dali's manifesto for the paranoiaccritical method, a surrealist technique which consists of the artist invoking a paranoid state, resulting in a deconstruction of the psychological concept of identity, subjectivity thereby becoming the primary aspect of the artwork.

First edition, one of 135 copies on arches paper (this copy without number), 4to (19 x 22 cm); 68pp., [5]., with photo-lithographed portrait, engraved frontispiece and 6 heliographic plates, signed by artist on half title, some tissue, publisher's silver wrappers and printed red metallic dust-wrapper, with loss to the spine. preserved in a black solander box with title-window to lid.

Michler-Lapsinger 4; Launay 288.