Honoré de Balzac; Pablo Picasso - Le Père Goriot [tirage de tête avec suite sur Chine du portrait de Balzac par Picasso] - 1952-1952

Description of the lot:

If you are passionate about bibliophilia and great 20th-century art, this is a piece that won't go unnoticed: the perfect meeting point between Balzac's literature and Pablo Picasso's brilliant stroke.
I am offering the splendid 1952 edition of "Le Père Goriot", published by André Sauret. But take note, this is no ordinary copy.
A very rare "Tirage de Tête" (1 of 300)
As you can see from the photos of the colophon, this is the prestigious Copy No. CIV (104). It is part of the highly sought-after "tirage de tête" (head edition), strictly limited to only 300 copies worldwide, numbered in Roman numerals, and printed on magnificent Grand Vergé d'Arches paper.

The real gem: Picasso twice

The reason this book is a true collector's item is the lithographic portrait of Honoré de Balzac created specifically by Pablo Picasso (dated 25.11.52 in the plate).
Precisely because it is a tirage de tête, this book boasts a fantastic feature: the original lithograph is double.
In addition to the regular frontispiece, you will find a fabulous "second state" (deuxième état) printed separately on delicate China Paper (Papier de Chine), a gem exclusively reserved for these first 300 volumes. The printing was handled by none other than the legendary Parisian atelier Mourlot Frères, a name that made the history of fine art printing.

Finding complete tirage de tête copies on the market with the second state on China paper is becoming increasingly difficult. This is not just a wonderful book to leaf through and admire, but a genuine art investment to add to your library.
Don't miss out on this one, happy bidding everyone!