SIGNED BY BOTH JOYCE AND MATISSE: FINE COPY OF THE FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF ULYSSES

JOYCE, James. Ulysses. With an Introduction by Stuart Gilbert and Illustrations by Henri Matisse. New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1935. Large quarto, original gilt-stamped pictorial brown cloth, uncut. Housed in custom half morocco clamshell box. $35,000.

First illustrated edition of Joyce’s landmark Ulysses, one of only 250 copies signed by both James Joyce and Henri Matisse, from a total edition of 1500 copies.

One of the most interesting collaborations in 20th-century literature. "It was a great idea to bring them together; celebrities of the same generation, of similar virtuosity" (Wheeler, 15). The 26 beautiful full-page illustrations by Matisse accompany the text of Joyce's Ulysses, including six soft-ground etchings with reproductions of the sketches on blue and yellow paper. "One of the very few American livres de peintres issued before World War II. According to George Macy [this work's designer], who undertook this only American publication of Matisse's illustrations, he asked the artist how many etchings the latter could provide for $5000. The artist chose to take six subjects from Homer's Odyssey. The preparatory drawings reproduced with the soft-ground etchings (Matisse's only use of this medium) record the evolution of the figures from vigorous sketches to closely knit compositions" (The Artist and the Book 197). This copy is number 352 of 1500 copies, and one of only 250 that were signed by both author and illustrator. Without original slipcase. Slocum & Cahoon A22.

Front inner hinge professionally and invisibly repaired. Book fine and bright. A beautiful copy of this collaboration between two of the 20th century’s finest artists, one of the great modern illustrated books, signed by both author and illustrator.