136 pp. volume representing the Soviet edition of Ehrenburg's manifesto on modern art in the early 20th century and the Constructivist movement in particular, scattered illustrations comprising reproductions from photographs of works by many major artists of the time. Octavo (8 3/4 x 6 1/4 inches). Original printed wrappers with cover design by Fernand Léger. Some browning and foxing to covers, light edgewear, light consistent browning to interior, pages uncut, spine splitting slightly, overall good. Moscow/Berlin: Helikon, 1922. Limited edition of 100 copies.

This slim volume represents Ehrenburg's examination of the avant-garde in the visual and literary arts, as it stood in the 1920s. He understood the avant-garde as a global phenomenon and a celebration of the mechanical age. He made note of artistic and architectural manifestos and listed journals being published in Europe and America which championed new ideas. Ehrenburg defends Constructivism in early art and also analyzes the "new" Constructivist architecture as exemplified by Vladimir Tatlin and others.

The work itself is typographically interesting and experimental, and contains illustrations of Russian advances in engineering technology in the areas of trains, ships, cranes, and airplanes. There are also illustrations of works by noted Russian and western artists such as Tatlin, Léger, El Lissitzky, Pablo Picasso, Jacques Lipchitz, Alexander Rodchenko, and Theo van Doesburg, and even a still from a Charlie Chaplin film.

Interestingly, a note from the publisher prefacing the work states that Helikon does not agree with the opinions expressed by Ehrenburg in this volume, and that he has requested it be noted that the book was typeset using "the old orthography" against his wishes.

Book ID: 53694

Price: $4,500.00