As my readers know, I am somewhat passionate about illustration. And many of my musings have featured French illustrated books. I think that French illustration belongs at the top of a pyramid similar to that of French cuisine. Very often exquisite! Beginning with this musing and for the following two musings, I move over to French illustrated magazines – the very first three issues of Verve, a magazine that was beyond glorious.
Verve was a modernist Parisian art magazine published by Teriade between 1937 and 1960. The magazine was first published in December 1937 with a cover featuring artwork by Henri Matisse. Matisse was a driving force behind the magazine. The headquarters of the magazine was in Paris. It published 38 issues in 10 volumes including lithographs by the most prominent artists of the Parisian art scene of the first half of the 20th century. The first four issues featured art/photographs by Miro, Brassai, Man Ray, Corot, Picasso, Maillol, Renoir, Delacroix, Chagall, Klee, Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec, Rubens, Matisse, etc.; with literary contributions by Dos Passos, Lorca, Malraux, Joyce, Hemingway, Tagore, Rilke, and Sartre amongst others, Artworks have been reproduced luxuriously in the method best suited to each, resulting in a gorgeous, vivid publication, chockablock with delights.
VERVE; Volume 1 Numéro 2; Printemps 1938; Paris.
In this second issue there are four lithographs, all on card stock. As with the first issue and again in the third issue the lithographs are all related to a particular theme. I the First issue it was Les Quartre Éléments. In this issue:
Les Corps Celestes
Les Etoiles – par Kandinsky
Les Cometes – par Kandinsky
Le Soleil – par Andre Masson
La Lune – par Andre Masson
The lithos are special and they drive the value of the magazines up considerably. They are most often removed from the magazines, which is why you often find issues of Verve at reasonable prices. The first copy of Verve that I bought in Chicago was of that ilk, but I understood the situation.
As with the first issue, the magazine has a balance of contemporary art and Medieval art from manuscripts. In this issue there is a series of articles and illustrations featuring the Apocalypses. The material is from a variety of manuscripts.
This last illustration has been attributed to Hieronymus Bosch, and it dates from the late fifteenth century. Known as L’Escamoteur or variously in English as the Conjurer, the Juggler, the Jester or the Magician.
I trust that you have enjoyed this second Verve entry. More coming up in the next musing.
Happy Spring!