Dingo
1924. As issued, letterpress book with French binding (unbound), original boards with partial paper wrappers, and slip case, containing 55 original etchings, some monogrammed in plate, number “265” from an edition of 350 on justification page, title page in French includes author “Octave Mirbeau” and publisher with date “Ambroise Vollard, Éditeur, Paris, 1924”, sizes range from 4 x 3.6cm to 28.7 x 22.8cm (approx. each image) and 40 x 29 x 5cm (book). Discolouration, wear and repaired tears to paper wrappers. French painter and printmaker, Pierre Bonnard illustrated several books, including this 1924 edition of the novel Dingo by French author Octave Mirbeau (1848–1917). The Toledo Museum holds a copy of this book with the comment “This semi-autobiographical novel, first published in 1913, tells the story of the author through his pet dog, Dingo. Dingo is mistreated by the hostile and corrupt residents of the town, which was modelled after the author’s own place of residence. [The pet dog] is an untamed and marauding beast, but one who also displays goodness, affection, loyalty, and humor. The illustrations in Dingo mark Bonnard’s first major use of the techniques of etching and drypoint. Most often depicting what he saw around him, Bonnard, a dog owner himself, frequently included dogs and cats in his works.” Author Reg Carr in his 1977 book, Anarchism in France: The Case of Octave Mirbeau, states “It is hard to say whether the original idea for the novel [Dingo], which is a dog owner’s account of the life and mind of his wild Australian dingo, came to Mirbeau from the tale Diogene le chien, written by Mirbeau’s lifelong friend Paul Hervieu in 1882…or whether Mirbeau was influenced by the vogue of animal tales which became so popular in the 1900s.” Ref: Bouvet #90; Terrasse #56.
Item #CL203-34
Price (AUD): $6,600.00 other currencies