Arcana:

(ERNST, MAX). Ernst, Max. With brief texts by Andre Breton, Piet Mondrian, Rene Crevel, Paul Eluard, Dorthea Tanning, J.F.P., Benjamin Peret, Man Ray, Robert Desnos & Nicolas Calas. Beverly Hills, CA: The Copley Galleries, 1949. First Edition #121/513. 8vo. ¼ Cloth Over Pictorial Boards. Artist Monograph. Very Good/No Jacket - As Issued. 39pp, 24 monochrome illustrations. Designed by Max Ernst. Printed by Lynton Kistler. Frontispiece photograph by Frederick Sommer. With an exhibition checklist. In a protective clear acetate dustwrapper. This charming, elaborately designed and produced exhibition catalogue cum artist's book was published in conjunction with a 1949 show of sixty-six works executed between 1918 and 1948 by renowned Dada and Surrealist artist Max Ernst at the Beverly Hills gallery of William Nelson Copley - a.k.a artist Cply. The first portion - "At Eye Level" - contains brief Surrealist and Ernst-related texts and quotes by a stellar array of artists and literary figures that includes Andre Breton, Piet Mondrian, Rene Crevel, Paul Eluard, Dorothea Tanning, J.F.P., Benjamin Peret, Man Ray, Robert Desnos, and Nicolas Calas. The second - "Paramyths" - is a series of eight poems and collages executed by the artist especially for this volume. A handsome, tightly bound example of this fragile, uncommon item limited to five hundred and thirteen copies NUMBERED (121/513) in ink on the rear colophon, as issued, showing some typical soiling and slight discoloration to its matte, textured boards, unobtrusive mottling to the blue cloth of the spine, and a small area of surface paper abrasion to the rear board. Internally, there is a tiny bit of mild foxing to a few pages throughout along with occasional discoloration and perished glue at the gutter of some of the pages. Inventory Number: 026378