DERAIN, André (1880-1954), artist. RABELAIS, François (c.1494-1553). Les horribles et espovantables faictz et prouesses du très renommé Pantagruel, Roy des dipsodes fils du grand géant Gargantua. Paris: Albert Skira, 1943.

One of the finest examples of painters' books, in a painterly calf extra binding by Germaine de Coster and Hélène Dumas. To illustrate Rabelais, André Derain drew his inspiration from 16th century playing cards, manifested in the aesthetics, which recall the illustrated prints of the time of Rabelais, and in the choice of wood engraving. The printer, Roger Lacourière, was so enamored of the artist's idea that he had a studio dedicated to Pantagruel installed in his workshops, where he worked tirelessly for more than two years. Derain's illustration is particularly remarkable as being a rare example of multi-color woodblock printing. Usually, the colors would have been applied one after the other on separate blocks. Here, Derain cut a white-line to separate the colors and the matrices were printed "à la poupée," i.e. with all the colors at once. One of 200 copies of the regular issue, from a total edition of 275. Signed by Derain in the colophon.

The splendid binding was designed by Germaine de Coster and executed by Hélène Dumas and it extends the exuberance of color as present in Derain's woodcuts. The Artist & the Book 1860-1960, 81; Castleman, p. 31; From Manet to Hockney, 111; Gilbert, Catalogue raisonné, 15.1.

Folio (340 x 275mm). With 179 woodcuts printed in color, including the initials by André Derain and printed by Roger Lacourière. Full polished navy calf by Germaine de Coster and Hélène Dumas, the covers with a mosaic of multi-colored morocco and calf onlays to an abstract, geometric design, spine with each letter of the title in multi-colored morocco, stamped in gilt, silver, and blind, doublures of blue suede, flyleaves of purple suede, stamp-signed by the binders on upper turn-in, all edges gilt (spine ends with short tears); original wrappers bound in; suede-lined half morocco chemise and uniform slipcase (chemise sunned at spine, slipcase worn at corners).