The LÉDA Prints
Photos of the box, a few
text pages, and the
watercolors & sketches.
Please note: photos
taken under a tree with
sunlight filtering
through the canopy --
the paper is evenly
cream-colored
text pages, and the
watercolors & sketches.
Please note: photos
taken under a tree with
sunlight filtering
through the canopy --
the paper is evenly
cream-colored
Mme. Rhodia Dufet-
Bourdelle's dedication
to her niece, Antoine
Bourdelle's grand-
daughter (larger view
to lower right)
Bourdelle's dedication
to her niece, Antoine
Bourdelle's grand-
daughter (larger view
to lower right)
The Léda au pochoir
watercolors and
sketches are shown
below. This is being
sold in toto. This set
will not be broken up.
watercolors and
sketches are shown
below. This is being
sold in toto. This set
will not be broken up.
| E-A Bourdelle's LÉDA |
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Émile-Antoine Bourdelle's watercolors
and sketches with Pierre Louys' story
of LÉDA and the Swan (Zeus)
and sketches with Pierre Louys' story
of LÉDA and the Swan (Zeus)
Émile-Antoine Bourdelle
Émile-Antoine Bourdelle's watercolors and sketches with
Pierre Louys' story of LÉDA
In 1893 Émile-Antoine Bourdelle did these watercolors and sketches to go with
Pierre Louys' re-telling of the legend of Zeus coming down in the form of a swan to
make love with the mortal, Leda. In 1898 the sketches, watercolors, and Pierre
Louys' story, were printed in a limited edition. In the early 1970's, Émile-Antoine
Bourdelle's daughter, Rhodia Dufet-Bourdelle (also the Conservateur of the Musée
Bourdelle until her death in 2002), had a new limited edition made up (au pochoir --
"by hand") under her careful supervision and inspection. Added to this edition
were some other Leda sketches and watercolors Émile-Antoine Bourdelle had done
at later periods (one is labeled July 1912). Rhodia also added a new introductory
page in homage to her father. This set that is being offered for sale was sent to her
niece, Bourdelle's only grand-daughter, with a loving dedication inscribed to her by
Rhodia on the inside page.
These watercolors are very contemporary and fresh today. Paris, at the turn of the
previous century, may have been far more open-minded than I imagine -- these
beautifully fluid and sensual masterpieces raise the eyebrows of many Americans
today.
This set is printed on the much finer Vélin d'Arches, rather than Japon -- as the
Vélin is closer in character to the original edition of 1898. There is a hand-written
letter from Rhodia, and the Emery freight shipping receipts from when she sent
these -- copies of these are available if desired.
There are 13 pages of text, 40 watercolors, (some dark, intense; many medium soft
and flowing; and some very light and ethereal), and 8 sketches without colors. As
the pages are not bound, each of the pictures can be mounted and framed. The
photograph I show here gives some idea of the box and what the watercolors are
like. The uneven edges of the paper have a wonderful handmade quality to them,
and the cream-colored heavy stock is beautiful. Each page measures 15 7/8" x 11";
the boxed set measures 16 1/8" x 11 7/8" x 2 7/8". Please note that the box has
some outward damage to it (watermark on the front, two of the corners have split
open), and the heavy stock paper inside that binds up the set has two corners that
have split open, but the prints and text are all in pristine
condition. Special ONE DAY ONLY Price: $1,250
+ S&H & Insurance
Pierre Louys' story of LÉDA
In 1893 Émile-Antoine Bourdelle did these watercolors and sketches to go with
Pierre Louys' re-telling of the legend of Zeus coming down in the form of a swan to
make love with the mortal, Leda. In 1898 the sketches, watercolors, and Pierre
Louys' story, were printed in a limited edition. In the early 1970's, Émile-Antoine
Bourdelle's daughter, Rhodia Dufet-Bourdelle (also the Conservateur of the Musée
Bourdelle until her death in 2002), had a new limited edition made up (au pochoir --
"by hand") under her careful supervision and inspection. Added to this edition
were some other Leda sketches and watercolors Émile-Antoine Bourdelle had done
at later periods (one is labeled July 1912). Rhodia also added a new introductory
page in homage to her father. This set that is being offered for sale was sent to her
niece, Bourdelle's only grand-daughter, with a loving dedication inscribed to her by
Rhodia on the inside page.
These watercolors are very contemporary and fresh today. Paris, at the turn of the
previous century, may have been far more open-minded than I imagine -- these
beautifully fluid and sensual masterpieces raise the eyebrows of many Americans
today.
This set is printed on the much finer Vélin d'Arches, rather than Japon -- as the
Vélin is closer in character to the original edition of 1898. There is a hand-written
letter from Rhodia, and the Emery freight shipping receipts from when she sent
these -- copies of these are available if desired.
There are 13 pages of text, 40 watercolors, (some dark, intense; many medium soft
and flowing; and some very light and ethereal), and 8 sketches without colors. As
the pages are not bound, each of the pictures can be mounted and framed. The
photograph I show here gives some idea of the box and what the watercolors are
like. The uneven edges of the paper have a wonderful handmade quality to them,
and the cream-colored heavy stock is beautiful. Each page measures 15 7/8" x 11";
the boxed set measures 16 1/8" x 11 7/8" x 2 7/8". Please note that the box has
some outward damage to it (watermark on the front, two of the corners have split
open), and the heavy stock paper inside that binds up the set has two corners that
have split open, but the prints and text are all in pristine
condition. Special ONE DAY ONLY Price: $1,250
+ S&H & Insurance
NOTE: Paper is uniformly cream-colored. Mottled appearance
is from sunlight filtering through overhead tree
is from sunlight filtering through overhead tree