DALI SALVADOR: (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist artist. An excellent book ...

DALI SALVADOR: (1904-1989) Spanish surrealist artist. An excellent book signed and inscribed, with an original illustration, being a soft cover edition of Hommage a Meissonnier, First edition published by Hotel Meurice, Paris, 1967, to accompany the exhibition of Dali's work at the Hotel Meurice from 1st - 30th November 1967. With a frontispiece image of Dali and featuring four original off-set colour lithographs by Dali (Gala, Nu de dos, Le pecheur and La main) which were created by the artist specifically for this edition and printed in the studios of E & J Desjobert. The edition also includes black and white illustrations of paintings by Ernest Meissonnier, Gustave Moreau, Edouard Detaille and William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Signed and inscribed by Dali in black ink with a large example of his signature ('Dali') to the half-title and facing page, further adding an original drawing in his hand, the image depicting a cavalier riding on his horse and brandishing a lance in one hand, which he raises directly towards a small crown suspended in the sky ahead. Accompanied by the dust jacket and with a loosely inserted printed 4to folding card with the facsimile text and signature of Paul Ricard (as issued). A handsome signed book enhanced by Dali's original drawing. Two very light, minor stains to the upper and lower edges of the half-title page, VG

Dali's original drawing was evidently inspired by Meissonnier's painting La Bataille de Friedland, a detail of which is reproduced in the book, and similarly shows spirited cavalrymen holding up their swords towards the Emperor, represented in Dali's drawing by the crown.