RAMIRO (Erastène). Catalog descriptif et analytique de l'oeu - Lot 252

RAMIRO (Erastène). Catalog descriptif et analytique de l'oeuvre gravé de F. Rops... P., Conquet, 1887. 1 t. bound in 2 vols. Suppt au cat. de l'oeuvre gravé. Floury,1895. 1 vol. - Set. 3 vol. gr. in-8, orange morocco binding, title : L'oeuvre de Félicien Rops in fancy blue mosaic letters arranged in a sinuous line after a design by Aug. Lepère, on the first boards; lined with garnet maroq. with straight, curved and interlaced gilt thread forming a wide frame, garnet silk endpapers, gilt tr. on witnesses, cons. covers and spines, maroq. spine folders, slipcases (Lortic fils). ORIGINAL EDITION. The first work is illustrated with 4 h. t. plates, including one in color, and the second with six. A very fine copy, one of 40 on large hollande paper. It contains several fine and rare state proofs (from two to five states) of the hors-texts and the separate suite on japon or chine of the text illustrations (plus fumés for the last volume). PRECIOUS EXEMPLAIRE UNIQUE in its composition, since eleven original drawings or watercolors and eight autograph letters by F. Rops have been inserted in this volume, as well as a number of engravings. Because of the number of pieces added, the first work has been bound in two volumes (with a dummy title executed in pen for the second). Double autograph letter from E. Ramiro (E. Rodrigues): "Seek, collect and multiply... irreproachable proofs. Evangile selon Saint Rops". Here are a few details on the original drawings and letters, in the absence of the complete nomenclature their quality deserves: A) ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OR WATERCOLORS : Volume I: Frontispiece, seated nude woman lifting the curtain on which the title of the work is inscribed (see cat. reproduction). After the title, attractive pen-and-ink sketch (recto and verso) Page 22: study for Près du feu, accompanied by sketches of a woman and a soldier, with other sketches on verso, including a watercolor. Page 96: two pencil drawings (recto and verso on the same sheet) signed and dated d'Acoz, Jan. 73, one for La Grève. Page 248: superb gouache watercolor, unattributed, Woman in red with parasol, gray hat and gloves, dress with white pattern, wide red ribbon with buckle, this watercolor is a model for Maison Duluc (handwritten annotation). Page 294: very fine original drawing in black and brick pencil of a young woman in profile, monogrammed, dated 65 and annotated Mabille (sketch on verso). Volume III: Important pen-and-ink sketch, with dedication to his friend and printer Nys Page 142: a large original pen-and-ink drawing on a double page, (contemporary binding). Reprod. pp. 140 and 141 of the work P. 164: a large monogrammed original pen-and-ink drawing, also reprod. p. 163. B) EIGHT AUTOGRAPH LETTERS : Four are addressed to Liesse, one to Degorge, one to Delvau, one to Dentu, one with sketch; all are imbued with that verve, that critical finesse, that originality that characterizes the "so bizarre Monsieur Rops" in Baudelaire's phrase. Rops dates a letter to "Vendredi sein. Dies venéris". He deplores the slowness of the "workers - winemakers, upholsterers, winemaker-masons, winemaker-carpenters, charged with fitting out my house in Corbeil". Numerous literary notes and echoes: "Madame Bovary remained Flaubert's strongest note. It was written not to be published. L'Education sentimentale was to be the masterpiece... Glory doesn't come at a fixed time". News of his health: "I've had gout for 4 days, my grandfather's gout, for which I pay for the bottles of Richebourg I drink in the evening. bottles of Richebourg drunk in 1810". Announcement of Ch. de Coster's death, "from liver disease and his literary non-achievements". With severe and very curious comments on himself. - Letter concerning a sketch of his famous painting The Temptation of Saint Anthony. "In Paris, only Huysmans knows painters and has measured the extent of their silliness. "L'Art Moderne" caused a panic in the Villiers district that continues to this day. C. Lemonnier wrote a glowing article on "La Tentation". On painters: "There were two Masters: Corot and Millet, but they lived in the country. Between us, suburban masters! Avenue de Villiers, we don't like that. Let's paint on the street. That's the motto of young masters. I'm still at the four stakes in the ground... All I'll take away is Mr. Meissonnier's contempt. A long letter about a planned trip to America, hampered by the accidental death of Jules Leeris (drowned in the Seine), his pupil who was to sell paintings to an American. And Rops tells V. Liess