L’Effort

Paris: Les Societaires de L'Academie des Beaux Livres Bibliophiles Contemporains, 1894.
First Edition.

28cm x 22cm. [iv], 144 pages, illustrations, mostly handcoloured. The parts stitched together and loose as issued in the original illustrated wrappers, housed in a custom cloth chemise and slipcase. Text is in French.

A high point of Art Nouveau illustrated books, directed by Octave Uzanne for the Academie des Beaux Livres of the Bibliophiles Contemporains, featuring four symbolist tales by Haraucourt, each illustrated by a different artist in a different technique: ‘La Madone’ with colour lithographs by Alexandre Lunois, ‘L’Antechrist’ with hand-coloured line illustrations by Eugene Courboin, ‘L’Immortalite’ with etchings and hand-coloured floral borders by Carlos Schwabe, and ‘La Fin du Monde’ with monochrome compositions by Alexandre Seon. The title and justification are by Leon Rudnicki. The text was printed on the hand presses of the former Maison Quantin, on paper designed by Uzanne and made at the Arches and Archettes mills of Mazure et Perrigot. One of an unstated number of numbered copies (generally given as 180), each printed for a named member of the society, this copy number 58, printed for Georges Beach de Forest, presumably the New York capitalist, bibliophile, and art collector George Beach de Forest Jr. (1848-1932).

Creasing to spine of wrappers. A couple of the stitches loosening. Very minor soiling. Minor bumping to corners of slipcase. Very Good Condition.

AU$5,000