July 01, 2010

Raffaëlli and Mallarmé "Guys"

French painter of Italian origin, Jean Francois Raffaelli (1850-1924) who studied with Jean-Léon Gerôme at the School of Fine Arts, began his career at the Salon in 1870. In 1884, he got his own exhibition on the theme of scavengers and petit bourgeois. He used to visit the "grenier" of Auteuil, a town house where Edmond de Goncourt continued to receive authors and artists after the decease of his brother. In 1888, Raffaëlli offered to Stéphane Mallarmé to collaborate on Les Types de Paris (Guys of Paris), a collection he illustrated. He sent his work to Mallarmé who wrote then in regard of the drawings. The poems were published for the first time in the issue n°7 under the title "Types de la rue" (Street guys). A total of 22 authors among whom Daudet, Zola, Maupassant, Huysmans, Mirbeau, participated in this project realased by Les Editions du Figaro.

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers:
  • [Raffaëlli (J.-F.)] - Collectif. Les Types de Paris. Paris, Plon, Nourrit et Cie, 1889, in-4, 10 booklets in-4, case. First edition. Many in text drawings, some in colors, by Raffaëlli. Delivery issues in perfect condition.