Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

Large 4to (325 x 258 mm). 15 half-page engraved illustrations after Picasso (very minor dampstain on final blank leaf, lacking the additional suite of plates.) 20th century black morocco gilt, spine in 5 compartments with 4 raised bands, top edge gilt; original wrappers bound-in (minor rubbing to spine bands); slipcase.

LIMITED EDITION OF PICASSO'S FIRST MAJOR ILLUSTRATED BOOK, number 114 of 145 copies, SIGNED BY PICASSO. Albert Skira began work on Ovid's Metamorphoses in 1927; so determined was he to persuade Pablo Picasso to provide the illustrations for Les Metamorphoses that he traveled to Paris and visited Picasso daily until he agreed. Like George Macy of the Limited Editions Club, Skira hoped to publish the finest works of literature ever written, accompanied by illustrations executed by the finest artists of the day.

Les Métamorphoses was published in 1931 in a limited edition of 145 copies, priced at $400 each; only one copy was initially sold. Among the investors in the present work was art gallery owner and future First Lady of New York, Marie Harriman, who had forty copies brought to the United States to be sold in her art gallery. It would take six years for the entire run of 145 copies to be sold. Artist & the Book, 224; Chapon, pp.146-148; Geiser, pp.143-191; Goeppert-Cramer 19; Lejard 136; Logan Collection 56; Manet to Hockney 91; Matarasso 19; Museum of Modern Art 162; Skira 292; Stern 92.