Maîtres et petits maîtres d'aujourd'hui.
Aristide Maillol, Sculpteur et Lithographe.
Paris: Galerie des Peintres-Graveurs, 1927.
A UNIQUE SET, WITH TWO SUITES AND AN ADDITIONAL LITHOGRAPH. Text by Marc Lafargue in five languages, and FOUR ORIGINAL SIGNED AND NUMBERED LITHOGRAPHS BY MAILLOL, HERE PRESENT IN TWO STATES EACH (the second state in sanguine and the final state in black) plus, exceptionally, ONE OF ONLY FIVE SIGNED TRIAL PROOFS OF THE FIRST STATE OF ONE OF THE LITHOGRAPHS (Guérin 272), printed in sanguine. So nine signed lithographs in all, four in black and five in sanguine, printed on fine Montval laid paper (a kind of paper invented by Gaspard Maillol, the artist's nephew.) From a total edition of 125 copies, this is COPY "B", ONE OF ONLY 25 LETTERED COPIES WITH THE LITHOGRAPHS IN BOTH STATES. Guérin 267, 271, 272, and 274. From the collection of Nelson Rockefeller, onetime U.S. vice-president and owner of a great collection of modern art (his book plate on inside front cover). Rockefeller sold this suite to Sylvan Cole (1918-2005), dean of American print dealers, who kept it in his private collection. The lithographs, of female nudes, are among the artist's largest and most important. Dealers have broken up virtually all copies of this suite, and the present copy is doubtless one of very few deluxe copies surviving intact. Large folio. Loose as issued in printed card portfolio. Portfolio cover in very good condition with some minor wear and creasing. Contents fine. The eight large folio lithographs are all in brilliant condition. An outstanding item.
