MALDOROR
By its period of realization and its finesse of engraving which announce all the great surrealist themes of his most famous paintings, this major Edition of the Maldoror Songs, constitutes unquestionably and on the duration, ``la Crème de la Crème`` of the Dalinian engraved Masterworks.
In 1934, on the recommendation of Picasso, the Swiss publisher Albert SKIRA asked Salvador Dalí to illustrate the «Chants de Maldoror», the famous and unique work of the Count of Lautréamont (Isidore Ducasse). Over the course of more than a year, DALI will engrave 42 coppers, taking up all the themes dear to surrealists, in the spirit of his most famous paintings of that time. The edition was planned for 200 copies, but due to financial difficulties, Skira will print only about sixty books. The copper plates were then seized and kept in a private collection for nearly 40 years.
In 1970, a tripartite agreement was signed between DALI, SKIRA and ARGILLET for the definitive realization of this major engraved work. For this occasion and at 40 years of distance, DALI engraved 8 new copperplates and signed all of the 50 different subjects, thus realizing « The Definitive Maldoror Songs» edition.
This edition is presented and sold on two forms:
100 Books with text and 50 individually signed and numbered engravings
100 Series without the text, containing 50 individually signed and numbered engravings.
