July 07, 2011

Jules Supervielle : a quiet strenght

Jules Supervielle (1884-1960), raised between France and Uruguay, is a man between the two worlds, both in his life and in his work. Contemporary of the Surrealists, he does not adhere to the movement, rejecting the too much emphasis given to unconscious writing. His poetry iwants to be humanist, in a simple and transparent way, and mixes everiday life with a marvellous aprehension of scenery.  Childhood and death are two recurring themes of his work (he lost his parents in a tragic accident while he was still a baby). His early writings are influenced by a Larbaud or Laforgue. He develops a quiet lyricism that addresses the great mysteries of the universe with humility. Poetry, stories, theater : his work breaks with conventional models while maintaining a commitment to accuracy and delicacy in his use of language.

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :
  • Les poèmes de l'humour triste. Ornés de dessins inédits par Messieurs André Favory, André Lhote et Dunoyer de Segonzac. Paris, la Belle Edition, 1919, tall in-8. First edition with original illustrations. Limited to 315, this one on Arches paper. 
  • Le Survivant. Paris, Gallimard, 1928, in-4 tellière. First edition. One of the 110 copies in-quatro tellière. 
  • Boire à la source. Confidences de la mémoire et du paysage. Paris, Editions Corréâ, 1933, in-12. First edition.
  • L'Arche de Noé. Paris, Gallimard, 1938. Press copy with a dedication to the French writer Yves Gandon.
  • Oublieuse Mémoire. Paris, Gallimard, collection "Métamorphoses", 1949, in-12, broché. Edition originale. Mention fictive d'édition. 
  • Shéhérazade. Comédie en trois actes. Paris, Gallimard, 1949, in-12. Editin originale. Un des 8 premiers exemplaires sur Hollande. 
  • Premiers Pas de l'Univers. Contes. Paris, Gallimard, 1950, in-12. First edition. One of the 15 first copies on Holland paper.
  • Le Voleur d'enfants. Comédie en trois actes et un épilogue. Paris, Gallimard, 1949, in-12. First edition. One of the first 8 copies on Holland paper.