Elle se fit élever un palais

• Exhibition of the original edition of Elle se fit élever un palais (1947)
• Poem by Paul Eluard - Woodcuts by Serge Rezvani

For the 21st day of the Independent Bookstore Festival (Sant Jordi), the Verbes association and Éditions Gallimard are co-publishing a facsimile of a copy of the very rare edition of Elle se fit élever un palais by Paul Eluard, illustrated with engravings by Serge Rezvani. This facsimile, printed in 28,500 copies, is offered on Saturday, April 27, 2019 in 480 independent bookstores in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

On this occasion, the Galerie Gallimard presents one of sixteen copies of this masterpiece of contemporary bibliophily, preserved at the Bibliothèque littéraire Jacques-Doucet (Paris), which has exceptionally authorized its presentation from Saturday April 27 to Saturday May 4 in our Gallery.

Serge Rezvani told in Le Portrait ovale (Gallimard, 1976) the genesis of this rare book, born from his artistic and friendly meeting with Paul Eluard. The prints that illustrate it were engraved and inked by the young artist on recycled crates found in the streets of Nice, for lack of more noble material in this immediate post-war period. Touched by these works that he discovered in Paris, Paul Eluard himself suggested associating them with his dreamlike poem taken from the collection La Rose publique (Gallimard, 1934).

Serge Rezvani, who would later also become known for his literary works and his songs, he himself led the printing in the famous Mourlot lithographic workshop.