Planches de Salut
MARCOUSSIS, Louis (1883-1941)

LOUIS MARCOUSSIS (1883-1941)
(Ludwik Kazimierz Wladyslaw Markus)
Łódź, Poland 1878/1883 – 1941 Cusset, France (Polish/French)

Title: Planches de Salut, 1931

Technique: Original Hand Signed and Numbered Book on Japon Imperial paper, including a Suite of 13 Hand Signed and Numbered Etchings on Japan laid on Arches paper, and 3 Hand Signed and Numbered Etchings on Arches vellum paper

Paper size: 31 x 40.5 cm / 12.2 x 16 in

Additional Information: This work comprises of the complete portfolio from the deluxe edition of ten (numbered 2-11), published by Jeanne Bucher and printed by Lacourière, Paris 1931.
including:
1. The book of 13 etchings with frontispiece, en-tête, ten plates and cul-de-lampe, on Japon Imperial paper.
It is Hand Signed “Marcoussis” in black ink on the justification page.
It is also Hand Numbered in black ink “3” of an edition of 10 numbered 2-11.
2. Additional suite: This Deluxe Edition included an additional suite of all the 13 etchings, on Japon appliqué supported on Arches.
Each one of the etchings is Hand Signed in pencil “Marcoussis” at the lower right margin.
They are also each is Hand Numbered in pencil numbered “3/11” on the lower left margin.
3. Finally, this edition includes three different states of plate I (first, second and third state), on Arches, each Hand signed in pencil and Hand numbered 2/2. There were only 2 impressions of each state.

Note: Marcoussis took up printmaking again at the beginning of the 1930s.
In Planches de Salut, with an introduction by Tristan Tzara, Marcoussis pays homage to his favorite writers, such as Baudelaire, Dostoevski, Rimbaud, Shakespeare, and Gerard de Nerval.
The term ‘planche de salut’ is slang for ‘long plank to salvation’.

Literature: Milet, Solange. Louis Marcoussis: Catalogue raisonne de l’oeuvre grave. Copenhague: Forlaget Cordelia, 1991
Reference: Milet 66-78

Condition: Very good condition. Some foxing and time staining, mainly in the margins. Some slight discolouration along the edges.