Jesus- Christ Rastaquouere.

£32,500 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

unique presentation copy with an original signed drawing An extraordinary unique copy of Picabia's seminal dada text with a signed original drawing, an extensive presentation and additional manuscript notes and aphorisms by Picabia. Picabia's signed original drawing - and the accompanying presentation - is to the initial blank and shows the head and bare shoulders of a young woman (characteristically and as noted in the catalogue raisonné of Picabia's graphic work, the eyes and lips are 'more fully modelled than their surroundings'), with her seemingly gloved hands raised in front of her chest; the drawing is signed at lower right. Although the drawing is from what has come to be categorised as Picabia's 'Proto Pop Art' period in the early '40s, characterised by figuration and realism, the motif of the glove recalls its extensive and suggestive use in Surrealism as well as in Picabia's wider oeuvre. Picabia's presentation is in pencil to the outer edge of the same leaf: 'à Germaine / Pittet / très sympathiquement / Francis Picabia / 25 mars 1940 / Golfe Juan'. Picabia has, in addition, added further aphorisms and notes in pencil and even gone so far as to intervene with the text of the book (see below). A note by him alludes to the fact that he has secured the body of the text - remnants of the black gummed paper tape used adhere still to the final blank leaf verso - an act of self-censorship to remain in force until 1942. It seems unlikely that 1942 is an arbitrary choice of

• Binding: Hardcover

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