FRANCIS PICABIA, (1879-1953)

MAUROIS (ANDRÉ) Le Peseur d'âmes

MAUROIS (ANDRÉ) Le Peseur d'âmes. Précédé d'un frontispice et suivi de huit illustrations de Francis Picabia, 'EXEMPLAIRE B/ IMPRIMÉ POUR MADAME GERMAINE EVERLING-PICABIA', being one of 6 'hors commerce' copies on japon impérial from an overall edition of 366 copies, INSCRIBED BY BOTH MAUROIS AND PICABIA TO THE ARTIST'S WIFE on the half-tile, with an A WATERCOLOUR SIGNED 'Picabia' and a typed letter signed by the publisher Antoine Roche loosely inserted, 9 full-page colour lithographs after Picabia by Daniel Jacomet, without the additional suite of plates referred to in the justification, 2 small abrasions on title, partially unopened in publisher's wrappers, glassine outer wrapper, board chemise and slipcase, these toned and rubbed, 4to (280 x 225mm.), Paris, Antoine Roche, 1931

A WATERCOLOUR SIGNED 'Picabia' - IN GERMAINE EVERLING-PICABIA'S FINE ASSOCIATION COPY OF 'LE PESEUR D'ÂMES', INSCRIBED TO HER BY BOTH MAUROIS AND BY PICABIA.

This first illustrated edition of the book (published in the same year as Maurois's first edition) was limited to 366 copies. Ours is the second of only six 'hors commerce' copies specially printed for the collaborators and associates, and the half-title bears inscriptions to Everling from both Maurois (undated but probably contemporary) and Picabia (1944):

'Pour Mme Germaine Everling-Picabia
en très sympathique souvenir du Peseur d'Âmes
André Maurois'

'Pour Germaine
qui n'aime pas
la mer mais qui
aime Lorenza
en véritable mère
Francis qui aime Germaine
car Germaine aime
Francis Picabia
Cannes 12 mars 1944
voilà!'

Picabia had met Germaine Everling in 1917 and she became his constant companion, common-law wife, and the mother of their son Lorenzo (mentioned in the inscription). They separated in 1933, two years after Le Peseur d'âmes was published, but they always remained close and Everling (or Everling-Picabia as she sometimes styled herself) continued to be involved with the artist's work, contributing prefaces for the catalogues of his exhibitions in the South of France and loaning artworks.

The watercolour (signed "Francis Picabia", on india paper, and measuring, 210 x 270mm.), is inscribed on the reverse by Everling "Premier essai d'illustration du Peseur d'Âmes, selon une inspiration que Picabia abandonna par la suite. / Germaine E. Picabia". The naturalistic scene depicted is of several soldiers gathered around a table in the countryside, one of them, in shirt sleeves, uncorking a bottle of wine.

Antoine Roche's two-page typed letter to Picabia, dated 17 May 1931, is in effect the publisher's agreement that Picabia should proceed with the projected illustrations. Whilst full of gushing praise for the artist's first drafts, mentioning "entre nous" that the drawings supplied the "atmosphere mysterieuse" that was lacking in the text, he does think them difficult to reproduce and makes some stylistic recommendations for the next set, ending with the suggestion that Picabia sell the drafts to "quelque bibliophile".