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AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF BOOKS ILLUSTRATED WITH ORIGINAL PRINTS AND DRAWINGS BY MAURICE LEROY. Le bon plaisir, Le malheureux petit voyage, La belle sans chemise, Le Diable amoureux, La Fille aux yeux d’or, etc.
Paris: various publishers, 1939-1948.
AN UNPARALLELED COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED BOOKS BY ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED BOOK ARTISTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY. ALL OF THESE BOOKS ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVINGS / ETCHINGS /AQUATINTS / ROULETTES.
Maurice Leroy, like many other illustrators of his time, specialized in lightly erotic depictions of feminine beauty. Unlike virtually all the other illustrators of his time, however, he infused tremendous imagination into his prints, and demonstrated absolute mastery of all the major techniques of draftsmanship and copper engraving.
The ten books in this collection all come from the height of his career, and most of them are SPECIAL COPIES WITH ADDITIONAL SUITES OF THE PRINTS AND/OR ORIGINAL DRAWINGS.
(1) Le Diable amoureux, by Cazotte. One of only a few copies with the prints beautifully illuminated by hand;
(2) Another copy of the same, one of 127 copies with a remarque suite;
(3) Le malheureux petit Voyage, by Soulages. One of only 25 copies (tête) with an original drawing used for one of the illustrations (signed), a second suite in color, a suite in black, and a second suite of the wood-engraved decorations by Poilliot. Beautifully bound in full leather with original color drawings by Leroy on both covers;
(4) La Belle sans chemise, ou Eve ressuscitée. A unique artist’s copy, with a stunning original color drawing (signed), a remarque suite, and four (likely unique) color separation proofs;
(5) Le bon Plaisir, by Henri de Regnier. One of 36 copies (tête) with an original color drawing used for one of the illustrations (signed), a remarque suite in color, and a remarque suite in black;
(6) L’Eloge de la folie, by Erasmus. One of 75 copies with a remarque suite and the “planche refusée”;
(7) Le roman de Tristan et Iseut. One of 24 copies with two suites of the etchings and an original watercolor;
(8-10) Three other limited-edition books with original prints. 4tos.
Except for the bound volume (described above), all loose as issued in board chemises and slipcases. One slipcase damaged, else FINE AND BRIGHT, INSIDE AND OUT. A monumental collection, a testament to the artist’s varied and profound talent.
OVER 1,000 PRINTS IN ALL.
