[Art] [Picasso, Pablo] Level, Andre. Picasso

(Paris): Les Editions G. Cres & Cie, (1928). Deluxe first edition. 4to. Illustrated with lithographed frontispiece on Japan paper ("Visage de Marie-Therese"), signed by Picasso bottom right, and numbered 143/200 (from a total of 300), with tissue guard, as well as two color plates and numerous black and white plates and in-text illustrations. Publisher's stiff printed cream wrappers, losses along spine, soiling to wrappers; scattered splitting in gutters; text and plates lightly toned; library label tipped-in at bottom of second tissue guard at front; pencil notations on title-page recto and verso; frontispiece very lightly foxed; in quarter brown cloth chemise. Bloch 95; Cramer 16; Mourlot XXIII

First edition of Andre Level's monograph on the art of Pablo Picasso, one of the earliest books on the artist's work and life. With a handsome example of Picasso's signed lithograph profile portrait of his mistress, Marie-Therese, one of his first portraits of his muse.

"Andre Level was an enthusiastic art collector, who met Picasso in 1908...In 1928, Level published the present volume as part of the 'Cahiers d'aujourd'hiu' series put out by Editions G. Cries et Cie. It was--after Maurice Raynal's book of 1921 and Waldemar George's of 1924 and 1926--one of the first monographs on Picasso. Level's book is all the more valuable because it gives not only an artistic evaluation of Picasso's oeuvre, but also copious biographical details concerning the artist's friendships, travels, and exhibitions, as well as the circumstances under which a great many works were created." (Cramer)

This lot is located in Philadelphia.

From the Special Collections and Rare Book Collection at University of the Arts’ Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

To request further details about this lot, please email booksmanuscripts@freemansauction.com

1600 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia. Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Art] [Picasso, Pablo] Level, Andre. Picasso

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Art] [Picasso, Pablo] Level, Andre. Picasso

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