180 pp. 12mo (145 x 90 mm.), cont. blue stiff paste-paper boards, label in manuscript on spine. Paris: L’Imprimerie des Sciences et Arts, An XI [but ca. 1803].

The rare catalogue for a large exhibition of antiquities seized from Italy, consisting of 223 objects. This livret begins with descriptions of the ceilings in six rooms of the museum. Each piece is analyzed at length, with historical and mythological explanations, scholarly notes on the materials and any reproductions, and includes the Italian institution or collection from which it was confiscated — e.g., the Vatican, the Villa Albani, the ducal palace of... More

1 p.l., ii, 152 pp. Small 8vo (160 x 100 mm.), cont. calf-backed paste-paper boards (tail of spine worn), spine gilt, green morocco lettering-piece on spine. [Paris]: L’Imprimerie des Sciences et Arts, [?1801].

The uncommon second printing of this exhibition livret, with 945 works described. The present catalogue has combined the contents of two great exhibitions, the first of French and Flemish pictures, the other consisting of Italian paintings looted from Lombardy and Bologna. Both were held in the grande Galerie of the Musée central des Arts (now the Louvre). As explained in the Avertissement, the artworks from the exhibitions... More

ii, 109 pp. 12mo (155 x 100 mm.), cont. orange paste-paper wrappers (extremities a little frayed), label in manuscript on upper cover, stitched as issued. Paris: Dubray, 1807.

A livret documenting the sculptures, antiquities, paintings, and drawings assembled for an exhibition celebrating the French victory at the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt (1806). This catalogue consists of 710 entries, many extensively described with scholarly notes. Artists whose works were shown include J. Asselijn, Bakhuizen, Bega, Bol, S. Bourdon, Brauwer, Canaletto, An. Carracci, Cranach, Dow, Dürer, van Eyck, both Poussin, Giorgione, H. Holbein, Jordaens, Lairesse, A. Mignon, A. & I. van Ostade, Potter... More

152 pp. Small 8vo (159 x 100 mm.), cont. paste-paper wrappers (spine partly perished), stitched as issued. Paris: L. P. Dubray, 1810.

First edition of this uncommon exhibition guide and catalogue. Customarily, the French school would appear last in such guides; however, here, the school is placed first. This catalogue lists 1233 paintings, which were displayed in the portion of the Louvre renamed to celebrate Napoleon. This exhibition constituted a magnificent display of Old Masters.

Very good copy.

❧ Marquet de Vasselot, Répertoire des catalogues du Musée du Louvre (1793-1926) (1927), 129. More

Large folded poster with text and one black & white portrait of the artist on the reverse. Munich: Galerie Heiner Friedrich, 1967.

Very rare exhibition poster for one of Konrad Lueg’s final solo exhibitions. In October 1967, abandoning his pseudonym and reverting to his given name Konrad Fischer (1939-96), he opened his legendary gallery with an exhibition by Carl Andre. This beautifully designed poster has a list of Lueg’s solo and group shows on the reverse, along with a photograph of the young artist.

“Lueg’s artistic development led away from his own handwriting to found patterns and decoration. This path... More

Illus. throughout. 277 pp. 4to, softcover with flaps. Heras, Spain: Ediciones La Bahía, 2016.

A valuable recent addition to the study and appreciation of Ulises Carrión’s life and work. With an important inventory of the Ulises Carrión archive housed at the Archivo Lafuente.

As new. More

Black & white photocopied illus. throughout. 198 leaves & colophon. Thick 4to, pictorial softcover. Mantua: Assessorato Cultura Comune di Mantova, 1978.

One of 500 copies, this exhibition was organized by Romano Peli and Michaela Versari. It contains essays on mail art by Ken Friedman, Michael Crane, Hervé Fischer, Walter Zanini. G. J. de Rook, Toshinori Saito, Bill Gaglione, Ruedi Schill, Paulo Bruscky, Horacio Zabala, Guillermo Deisler, etc., all translated into Italian. Mailed contributions from practitioners around the world were photocopied and serve as the illustrations in the catalogue.

In fine condition. We find three examples in North American collections. More

Woodcut illus. of artists’ marks on many leaves. 72 pp. 12mo, early 18th-cent. morocco (about 1740), triple gilt fillet round sides, flat spine gilt, contrasting morocco lettering piece on spine, a.e.g. Paris: J. Langlois, 1672.

The catalogue of the second print collection formed by Marolles (1600-81), abbot of Villeloin and man of letters. His first collection amounted to 123,400 separate prints by more than 6000 print makers, mounted in 400 large volumes and 141 smaller ones. It was acquired in the name of the King by Colbert in 1667. This was the largest and finest collection ever formed up to... More

Postcard, printed on one side only, opening information rubber-stamped in red ink on verso, mailed & postmarked. Amsterdam: 1976.

Rare Other Books and So invitation; mailed to the Dutch collector and Fluxus adherent Tjeerd Deelstra (b. 1937). The Colombian video artist Raul Marroquin (b. 1948) and Ulises Carrión (1941-89) worked together on a number of projects. This exhibition began with “film projections” the night of the opening. Marroquin exhibited at the bookstore-cum-gallery space once more, in November 1976.

Fine. ❧ Guy Schraenen, ed., Dear reader. Don’t read. (2016), p. 184. More

Color illus. on recto, details on verso. Pictorial postcard, mailed. Bremerhaven: Kabinett für aktuelle Kunst Bremerhaven, 1979.

Postcard invitation to Merz’s second show at the Kabinett. In fine condition. Mailed to graphic designer Wim Crouwel’s firm Total-Designe.

❧ Exhibition installation pictured in Vorhut aus dem Hinterland (Neues Museum Weserburg Bremen: 1992). More

Printed on recto only. Postcard, mailed. Milan: Salvatore Ala, 1980.

Rare invitation to Merz’s 1980 show with Salvatore Ala (1941-2014). Ala founded his gallery in Milan in 1974 and hosted exhibitions for Boetti, Kounellis, and a number of Arte Povera artists. Keith Haring’s first Milan exhibition was held at Ala’s gallery.

Near fine; minor crease to one of the corners. Mailed to the Folkwang Museum in Essen. More

Black & white illus. throughout. [12] leaves. Small 8vo, stiff printed wrappers, staple-bound. Paris: Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris, 1974.

Very rare Annette Messager (b. 1943) exhibition catalogue, published for her exhibition Messager Collectionneuse. This was her first solo show at a major French museum, and the first of many at the Musée d’art moderne in Paris. The book presents her “collections” of “babies with eyes crossed out,” “how my friends would draw my portrait,” “voluntary torture,” “bodyguards,” “my jealousy,” “my needlework,” “my clichés temoins,” “collection to find my best signature,” with a list of further collections... More