Parler Seul. Poème.

binding by Georges Leroux

From the edition de tête with an additional lithograph, heightened and signed by the artist.

Tzara composed these poems without punctuation or capitalisation in 1945, at the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Alban, at the invitation of Dr. Lucien Bonnafé. Miro's early books published before the war were sparsely illustrated and so this is considered his first signigicant artist's book. It also represents the artist's first publishing project in collaboration with Maeght. This copy is one of only 20 examples on velin de Montval. The additional plate has been considerably heightened by Miro in crayon and signed and dated using a mixture of colours. Combined with the exquisite binding by Leroux, this is a superlative example of Miro's Parler Seul.

Limited edition, number 18 of 20 copies on Montval, from a total edition of 253, signed by the author and illustrator; folio, (37.5 x 28 cm); half-title, 72 lithographed illustrations (many full-page) printed in black and colour by Joan Miro, with an additional aquatint and lithographed plate heightened with crayon, signed and dated 12 June 1950; original upper wrapper bound in (collage of coloured paper and newsprint with lithographed design by Miro); binding signed and dated by Georges Leroux, 1962, full beige calf, covers decorated with elaborate title composed of onlaid coloured calf over 4 strips of inlaid black calf, spine with names of artist and author onlaid in mottled calf, gilt edges, straw-weave doublures and endpapers, calf-backed chemise and slipcase, both with lithographed designs by Miro on covers, a fine copy.