A SUITE OF 180 DRAWINGS BY PICASSO : November 28, 1953 - February 3, 1954. Preface by Tériade. PICASSO AND THE HUMAN COMEDY, by Michel Leiris. With an appreciation by Rebecca West.

NEW YORK: Harcourt, 1954. First American edition (the American edition of Verve 29/30).

ILLUSTRATED with 16 LITHOGRAPHS by PICASSO and printed by MOURLOT FRÈRES, and numerous b&w heliogravures printed by Draeger Frères. Twelve of the lithographs have tissue guards; the frontispiece, the color title page, and the two lithographs that are bound in among the introductory do not have tissue guards, as issued.

Picasso also designed the book's covers. They feature a profile of Geneviève Laporte with a ponytail. Geneviève Laporte was one of Picasso's last lovers, during the period in which he created these works.

Hardcover book, illustrated covers, no dustjacket, 10.5x14 inches (26.5x35.5 cm), containing 180 illustrations, 16 of which (the lithographs) are printed on the own leaf (e.g. blank backsides), the remainder of which (the b&w heliographs) are printed on their own page, one on each side of the leaves.

GOOD condition: The covers are worn at the corner tips and have some edge and spine fold scrapes; the spine folds have been professionally reinforced and much of the paper spine strip that overlaid the cloth covered spine has been professionally replaced; overall the covers are sturdy, attractive, and doing their job well. Internally, the front and rear hinges and endpapers have been professionally repaired and reinforced; there is a previous owner's 1968 inscription on the front pastedown, the front dj flap has been pasted onto the front free-endpaper, and the bottom corner of the text title page has a blindstamp of "John Arthur / Newton Highlands, MA"; otherwise the pages are just light toned, especially the page margins, and there is the normal light offset toning to the lithograph plates from the brown tissue guards. The plates are all present, clean and clear, with brilliant colors, beautiful. What Picasso can do with just a few lines is utterly amazing.

A complete, sturdy, clean, presentable copy of this book with all its lithographs and illustrations.

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