L’Annonce faite à Marie

Name: L'Annonce faite à Marie
SKU: 29600
Price: 8400 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Paul Claudel

Paris, Éditions de la NRF, (April 20) 1912.

1 vol. (160 x 215 mm) of 210 p. and [1] f. Emerald Jansenist morocco, spine with raised bands, gilt title, date gilt at foot, edges gilt on the rough, double gilt fillet on edges, ivory morocco doublures decorated with a rich “fanfare” design bearing the monogram “MM” six times, blue moiré endleaves, original wrappers and spine preserved, dark blue morocco cigar-case slipcase (binding signed by Huser).

First edition. One of 50 deluxe réimposé copies on vergé d’Arches paper, the only deluxe issue, this copy no. 25.

Paul Claudel’s second dramatic work, and the first to be staged, L’Annonce faite à Marie inaugurated his theatrical career and ranks among his major plays alongside Le Soulier de satin.

True to his belief that “in art, nothing is ever final,” Claudel constantly reworked his texts. This play originated ten years earlier as La Jeune Fille Violaine, itself revised in 1899 before being rewritten between 1910 and 1911 to become L’Annonce.

The premiere took place on 22 December 1912 at the Théâtre de l’Œuvre. Claudel took an active part as co-director alongside Lugné-Poe, going so far as to draft a theatrical manifesto. Although there were only three performances, the audience of connoisseurs who attended made sure the play’s reputation spread.

L’Annonce was a success, coming a few months after the text had appeared in book form (April 1912) and in La NRF (nos. 36–40). André Gide urged the young Éditions de la NRF to reprint it: “What have we decided to do about the performances of L’Annonce faite à Marie? Nothing? It would still be good if the book could be found for sale in the lobby. Good, and almost essential — for Claudel as much as for us.”

Formerly in the library of Raoul Simonson, this copy has been beautifully bound in the pure “Jansenist” style, in which decoration appears only once the book is opened. The richly ornamented ivory morocco doublures bear the monogram “MM” repeated in all four corners.

It may be conjectured that this binding was commissioned by the bibliophile Marcel de Merre, who had a pronounced taste for Claudel. He also owned the edition of L’Annonce faite à Marie illustrated by Maurice Denis, in a spectacular binding by Paul Bonet. Although this copy did not appear in the sale of his collection (Sotheby’s, 2007), it is well established that Marcel de Merre regularly commissioned work from Huser, using this monogram for his finest pieces.

Provenance: Raoul Simonson (bookplate); Marcel de Merre (gilt monogram on the doublure decoration).

P. Boudrot & H. Vignes, Bibliographie des Éditions de la NRF, 20.

#29600

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