[Rarebooks] FS - Dali: catalog raisonne of all paintings, 2 vol, 1648 illustrations

[Michael Watson]

Dali: The Paintings
Vol I, 1904-1946
Vol II, 1946-1989

By Robert Descharnes & Gilles Neret

Benedikt Taschen, Koln, 1994[1993], 1st, F/F, slipcase about VG+

A catalog raisonne of 1648 illustrations depicting *all* of Salvadore
Dali's paintings in chronological order, grouped by stylistic "periods:"
Dali's entire painted oeuvre from 1904 through 1989. Illustrations
include preliminary sketches, drawings, and studies for the painted
works. About half the paintings shown in this book are in the "seldom
seen" category, given that the works themselves have long been
inaccessible for photography and documentation. Clearly shows the
evolution of his style, his technical brilliance, and his absolutely
consistent surrealism throughout his career.

The authors intersperse the illustrations with commentary and
biographical information relevant to the time of the paintings. Both
authors are art historians, with Descharnes being a confidante of Dali's
and arguably the most most expert of all people at presenting Dali's work.

In English and translated by renown poet Michael Hulse, Cologne;
translation being a significant component of the book, given that it's
the best effort at conveying the authors' intent in one language and
culture into another. Translation of Descharnes' & Neret's text is
critically important, and here the publisher has employed a translator
not shy about viewing original text with different logic, yet conveying
the original meaning.

Printed on chlorine-free paper in Germany by Nue Stalling, Oldenburg.
This high-quality, two-volume, hardbound, German-printed first edition
has color reproduction superior to Taschen's own subsequent two-volume
USA edition, and the single-volume hardbound and softbound editions
which are *very* abbreviated at 128 illustrations. The high-quality
color reproduction of this edition is essential to appreciate the
paintings as they were intended by Dali.

Pictorial, black paper-covered slipcase has red fabric (Rayon? Nylon?)
ends, holds both 4to (12 3/4" x 9 3/4") volumes, black and white picture
of the artist on the front, all lettering gilt. Volume I is 397pp,
Volume II is pp. Both have illustrated pastedowns and Nice-looking
slipcase is about VG+ with scuffing to back and short split to fabric at
head and tail of spine surface. Each volume is flawless and graded Fine
in a Fine dust jacket.

These two volumes contain the finest printed reproductions of all of
Dali's paintings: these are not "coffee table" books like lesser-quality
reprints. There is no better collection printed in book form.

$60.00 USD for both volumes, postpaid in USA for these heavy books,
others please inquire. PayPal to archetype at 20ants.com, check, or MO.

The following are links to images, many imperfect as it was difficult to
capture these without color issues, distortion, flash highlights, etc.

http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/1.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/2.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/3.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/4.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/5.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/6.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/7.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/8.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/9.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/10.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/11.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/12.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/13.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/14.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/15.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/16.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/17.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/18.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/19.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/20.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/21.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/22.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/23.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/24.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/25.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/26.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/27.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/28.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/29.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/30.jpg
http://www.20ants.com/auc/dali/31.jpg

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[Books of great authors] are regarded as part of the necessary
furniture of the house -- not of the mind; and having been duly and
dutifully bought they are taught to know their place on the appointed
shelf. They are taken as read. There are few men now who, when a new
book is published, read an old one. - An anonymous 19th century cynic