La Maison Tellier

La Maison Tellier  is an original modern rare book engraved by   Edgar Degas  (Paris, 1834 – Paris, 1917) and written by  Henri-René-Albert-Guy de Maupassant  (Tourville-sur- Arques, 1850 – Paris, 1893) in  1934 .

Original edition.

Published by Ambroise Vollard, Paris.

350 numbered copies.

Format: in 4°. 

65 pages: 19 full page hors texte etchings and 17 in texte.

Good condition. 

"La Maison Tellier" is a story written by Guy de Maupassant (Tourville-sur- Arques, 1850 – Paris, 1893)  published in 1881 in a series of stories under the same title. Built around a prostitution theme, it is considered as one of his best realist short stories of him, after his renowned Boule de Suif. The short story was republished in various publications notably in La Lanterne magazine in February 1889 and in the periodical Gil Blas in October 1892.

The book has been illustrated by  Edgar Degas  (Paris, 1834 – Paris, 1917) a French Impressionist artist famous for his pastel drawings and oil paintings.  Degas also produced bronze sculptures, prints and drawings. Degas is especially identified with the subject of dance; more than half of his works depict dancers. Although Degas is regarded as one of the founders of Impressionism, he rejected the term, preferring to be called a realist, and did not paint outdoors as many Impressionists did. Degas was a superb draftsman, and particularly masterly in depicting movement, as can be seen in his rendition of dancers and bathing female nudes. In addition to ballet dancers and bathing women, Degas painted racehorses and racing jockeys, as well as portraits. His portraits are notable for their psychological complexity and for their portrayal of human isolation.