The International Surrealist Exhibition. Thursday, June 11th to Saturday, July 4th, 1936.
London: International Surrealist Exhibition, 1936.
Catalogue of the first International Surrealist Exhibition held in England. Presentation copy inscribed by E.L.T. Mesens to the French art dealer Pierre Loeb on the title page and signed by Mesens and eight other Surrealist artists: Hans Arp, Andre Breton, David Gascoyne, Humphrey Jennings, Jacqueline Lambda (as Jacqueline B[reton]), Sheila Legge, Roland Penrose, and George Reavey. 31 pp. Staple bound in publisher's pink printed wraps. Very Good+ with light wear, soiling, and toning to covers, soft creasing around spine, and split to lower spine; contents clean. Housed in a custom clamshell case, green cloth over quarter morocco titled in gilt on spine.
A remarkable collection of signatures from nine Surrealist leading lights, five of whom were on the committees organizing the exhibition. The show was a landmark event that brought a Continental art movement to the United Kingdom. Max Ernst designed the catalogue and Andre Breton delivered the opening speech. Salvador Dali tried to make a speech in a helmeted diving suit, in which he nearly suffocated, and Sheila Legge posed in a flower mask in nearby Trafalger Square. The legendary French art dealer Pierre Loeb loaned a painting by Joan Miro to the exhibition. He had done much to promote the careers of Surrealist artists, and certainly deserved to be recognized with this presentation catalogue.
Price: $8,000