Vers et Prose. Morceaux choisis Avec un portrait par James M.N. Whistler.

Lithographed portrait of Mallarmé on chine collé with serpente, with butterfly signature and embossed Belfond stamp.

8vo (190 x 123mm). I-VIII, [9]- 221, [3]pp. Original blue paper printed wrappers, with glassine jacket, vignette on title page (text block slightly loose, spine tilted and discoloured).    

Paris [Imprimerie Deslis Frères]: Perrin et Cie, 1893.

First edition of this anthology of Symbolist poet Mallarmé’s verse, containing ‘L’Après-midi d’une faune’ and his version in prose of Edgar Allen Poe’s ’The Raven’, ’Le corbeau’. There are significant textual variations in some of the prose, to the extent that they are almost entirely new works (e.g. Divagation Premier and Seconde Divagation). The frontispiece is a portrait of Mallarmé by his friend James McNeill Whistler. It is recognised as an extremely accomplished likeness of the poet, Mallarmé writing to Whistler in November 1892, ’this portrait is a marvel, the best thing that’s ever been done of me, and I am delighted with it’ (5 Nov. 1892). The artist himself later wrote that ’it is very beautiful - and as a portrait of the poet extraordinary’ (Whistler’s letter to T. Way, 15 Oct. 1894).

Ten editions were also printed on Japon paper, and twenty-five on Holland, both editions with two states of the portrait. This copy with the embossed stamp of Belfond at the foot. Mallarmé’s presentation copy of this work to Whistler, printed on Japon paper, is at Glasgow (Sp Coll Whistler 86.1).

Carteret, Romantique II, 99. Vicaire V, 476. Talvart & Place XIII, 122. Levy, Whistler Lithographs, no.101. 

OCLC: (North America: Boston Athenaeum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Virginia. UK: Glasgow).     

Stock Code: 228494