Aragon

1962 · réf. 46499 — Paris.: Au Cercle du Livre Précieux. 1962. Original publisher's full white vellum title and vignette in blind to front cover reduced matching title and vignette in gilt to spine grey endpapers white silk placemarker t.e.g. vellum-edged grey paper board slipcase; spine with wear and discolouration. 8vo. 252 x 168 mm. Half-title in red and black leaf with original engraving by Hans Bellmer verso as frontispiece printed title in red and black 5 leaves with Préface by André Pieyre de Mandiargues and text of 'Le Con d'Irène' leaf with justification and final leaf with achevé d'imprimer recto and publisher's credit verso. Louis Aragon's 'Le Con d'Irène' with Hans Bellmer's original engraving.From the edition limited to 700 numbered copies on vélin d'Arches pur Chiffon each with the frontispiece engraving by Hans Bellmer; several hors commerce copies were also issued.First published pseudonymously in 1928 with etchings by André Masson 'Le Con d'Irène' has been described as 'un essai sérieux de prose pornographique' Cramer. A second edition designed and illustrated by Hans Bellmer was published in 1952 after a facsimile of the first was issued in 1948 before the present edition also illustrated by Bellmer. Of considerable notoriety the novel's pseudonymous Albert de Routisie was identified as Louis Aragon adding to his oeuvre of erotic works that also included - with Benjamin Péret - the explicit '1929'.'Pendant trois mois l'auteur a parcouru notre grande colonie interrogeant administrateurs officiers colons. Pour la clarté de ses exposés comme par la valeur de sa documentation ce livre intéresse le spécialiste et le profane. Selon le mot d'un grand emmerdeur 'Le Con d'Irène' devrait être mis entre les mains de tous nos futurs administrateurs éducateurs et officiers coloniaux.' Aragon writing in André Breton's copy of the first edition. Au Cercle du Livre Précieux. hardcover