La Vie Artistique
by Geffroy, Gustave; Impressionism
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
New York, New York, United States
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About This Item
1903. [GEFFROY, Gustave]. La Vie Artistique. Préface d'Edmond de Goncourt. Eight volumes (all published). xvi, 375; 396; xx, 395; xviii, 334; 408; 462; 368; 483 pp. With an original etched frontispiece to each volume (by Carrière, Rodin, Renoir, Raffaelli, Fantin-Latour, Pissarro, Vierge, and Willette). 12mo, 167 x 110 mm., bound contemporary silk over boards, original wrappers preserved. Paris: Dentu [and Floury], 1892-1903. Only edition, a beautiful unique and complete set of La Vie Artistique which was one of the most influential of the late nineteenth-century art periodicals. Volumes 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are inscribed from Geffroy to the noted poet, art critic and journalist Leon Roger Miles. Geffroy (1855-1926) was one of the earliest supporters of the Impressionists. A founding member of the Academie Goncourt, he was, in the words of Edmond de Goncourt, "dispensateur d'une culture nouvelle." All of his writings about Impressionism are significant and remain among the most intelligently perceptive of his time. The third volume of the series is entitled Histoire de l'impressionisme and is considered the most comprehensive book about the movement that had appeared hitherto. It consists of an introductory section on the history of Impressionism, followed by individual chapters on artists. These early critical testaments on Impressionism constitute one of the major sources of the history of art of the period. According to the DBF, "De fait ses comtes rendus d'expositions et ses études d'artistes mettent en valeur avec une étonnante pénetration des talents aussi divers que ceux de Gustave Moreau, de Puvis de Chavannes, de Maurice Denis, de Rude..." Geffroy was not only an art critic but a radical journalist; his literary activities took many forms: he wrote extensively about current political and social injustices and published a number of Realist novels in the manner of Zola. His interest in painting and especially in Impression was first inspired by a visit to Manet's studio in 1876; consequently, he made contact with virtually every important Impressionist artist of the time, and engaged in on-going correspondence with most of them. Geffroy's monograph Claude Monet, sa vie, son temps, son oeuvre (1824) is still valuable. Geffroy ended his career as the director of the Gobelins tapestry factory. The frontispieces contained herein represent original graphic works by Eugene Carriere (vol. 1), Auguste Rodin (vol. 2), Auguste Renoir (vol. 3; see Delteil no. 8 = "2e état"), J.-F. Raffaelli (vol. 4), Fantin-Latour (vol. 5), Camille Pissarro (vol. 6; see Delteil no. 126 = "7e état"), Daniel Vierge (vol. 7), and Willette (vol. 8). An exceptionally fine and uniform set, rare thus. Joanne Culler Paradise, Gustave Geffroy and the Criticism of Painting (New York, 1985); see also her article "Gustave Geffroy" in The Grove Dictionary of Art Online (ed. L. Macy).
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Details
- Bookseller
- Ursus Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 169228
- Title
- La Vie Artistique
- Author
- Geffroy, Gustave; Impressionism
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Date Published
- 1903
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
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About the Seller
Ursus Books
Biblio member since 2007
New York, New York
About Ursus Books
Ursus Rare Books is renowned throughout the rare book world for handling outstanding copies of important rare books. Our inventory ranges from early printed books to modern livres d'artistes. Our particular strength is in illustrated books of all periods; from the 15th to 21st centuries. We also carry fine copies of literature in all languages, art and architecture, natural history, voyages and travels, landscape gardening and fine bindings. Ursus is dedicated to developing long term relationships with clients in helping them to form first class collections.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 12mo
- A duodecimo is a book approximately 7 by 4.5 inches in size, or similar in size to a contemporary mass market paperback. Also...
- Wrappers
- The paper covering on the outside of a paperback. Also see the entry for pictorial wraps, color illustrated coverings for...