While in his sixties, Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) made hundreds of sketches from female models, added watercolor in one or two strokes and then, loosely cutout the forms. When he ran out of paper, an assistant was sent over to the local boucherie (butcher shop) for more.

These silhouettes were combined in various groupings, the artist arranging and rearranging them to form compositions of female forms. Six examples of Rodin’s cutouts can be found in the Graphic Arts Collection thanks to the students of René Chéruy, Rodin’s secretary from this period.
 

 

In “Glimpses of Rodin” in the Princeton University Library Chronicle 27, no. 1 (Autumn 1965), Howard C. Rice, Jr. writes

“Material about the French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), including several letters, notes, and sketches in his autograph, has recently been added to the Library’s collection of modern manuscripts. This small but attractive group of mementoes, which had been preserved by René Chéruy, one time secretary of Rodin, who subsequently resided in the United States as a teacher of French at the Loomis School in Windsor, Connecticut, has been presented to the Princeton University Library in Mr. Chéruy’s memory by a group of his former students, including Jewett T. Flagg, James Parton, and William H. Scheide. Several pencil and watercolor drawings by Rodin, as well as examples of his dry points…, which also belonged to Mr. Chéruy, have been added to the initial gift by Thomas S. Brush. The souvenirs, now at Princeton evoke mainly the years 1902-1908, when Chéruy, then in his twenties, was performing numerous secretarial chores for “the Master,” who was in his sixties and at the peak of his contemporary fame.”

The cutouts, sketches, lithographs, and other works on paper at Princeton were recently reviewed for an upcoming exhibition of Rodin’s cutouts at the Musée Rodin in Paris next fall. Like 50% of the sketches attributed to Rodin in collections around the world, many of the holdings have questionable artistic provenance but one pencil sketch with watercolor [above] was a beautiful surprise. Unquestionably from the hand of the master, this sheet has light damage from over-exposure but otherwise is a clear example of his late work.

We also solved the mystery of why one of the cutouts had such strange endings at the arms and legs. When the figure was turned slightly, it became obvious the form was drawn at the bottom corner of the sheet to produce a female languidly relaxing rather than standing upright.

“An idea came to me suddenly and enlightened me,” wrote Rodin, “this is art, this is the revelation of the great mystery, how to express movement in something that is at rest.” –quoted in Rodin’s Art : The Rodin Collection of Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center of Visual Arts at Stanford University (2003). Marquand library SA NB553.R7 E473 2003

Design for Babylon Revisited painted by Hal Siegel. (c) Charles Scribner’s Sons

The illustrator and designer Hal Siegel (active 1950s-1980s) gained a dedicated following among art directors for his striking book cover designs. Freelancing for various major publishing houses, his commissions grew until the late 1970s, when Siegel became art director for Prentice-Hall in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

One of his most important early commissions came from Charles Scribner’s Sons, where a decision was made to publish a series of paperback editions of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novels.

The Graphic Arts Collection holds ten paintings by Siegel, oil on board, which served as the basis for ten Fitzgerald book covers, each sporting bright yellow lettering. Here are a few examples.

Design for Tender Is the Night painted by Hal Siegel. (c) Charles Scribner’s Sons

Design for The Beautiful and the Damned, painted by Hal Siegel. (c) Charles Scribner’s Sons

Design for Flappers and Philosophers painted by Hal Siegel. (c) Charles Scribner’s Sons

Design for The Last Tycoon painted by Hal Siegel. (c) Charles Scribner’s Sons

 It is unfortunate that Siegel fails to appear in any American art index or directory, leaving his biography sadly incomplete. Here is a partial list of the books (taken from online sources) with a cover design or art direction by Siegel.

Edouard Glissant, The Ripening (New York: George Braziller, 1959).
Arthur C. Clarke, Tales of Ten Worlds (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., 1962).
Bruno Bettelheim, The Empty Fortress: Infantile Autism and the Birth of the Self (New York: Free Press/A Division of the Macmillan Company, 1967).
Ray Birdwhistell, Kinesics and Context: Essays on Body Motion Communication (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1970).
Maurice Chevalier, I Remember It Well ([New York] The Macmillan Company [1970]).
F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1970).
Robert Flynn, The Sounds of Rescue, The Signs of Hope (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1970).
Pamela Hansford Johnson, The Honours Board (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1970).
William L. Henderson and Larry C. Ledebur, Economic Disparity: problems and strategies for Black America (New York: Free Press, 1970).
Marshall McLuhan and Wilfred Watson, From Cliche to Archetype (New York: Viking Press, 1970).
Ursule Molinaro, The Borrower, An Alchemical Novel (New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1970).
Alice Walker, The Third Life of Grange Copeland (New York: Harcourt Brace & Jovanovich, 1970).
David Amram, Vibrations – The Adventures and Musical Times of David Amram (New York: Viking Press, 1971).
Walter Allen (editor), Transatlantic Crossing: American Visitors to Britain and British Visitors to America in the 19th Century (New York: William Morrow, 1971).
Adolph F. Bandelier, The Delight Makers: a novel of prehistoric Pueblo Indians (New York: Harcourt Brace/Harvest, 1971).
Alfred Coppel, Between the Thunder and the Sun (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich 1971).
Kenneth W. Grundy, Guerrilla Struggle in Africa: an analysis and preview (New York: Grossman, 1971).
James Henderson, Copperhead (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1971).
Stanley Kauffmann, Figures of Light: Film Criticism and Comment (New York: Harper & Row, 1971).
Kenneth Keniston, Youth and Dissent: The Rise of a New Opposition (New York: A Harvest Book/ Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1971).
John Kobler, Capone, The Life & World of Al Capone (New York: Putnam’s, 1971).
Jerzy Kosinski, Being There (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1971).
Patricia Laubger, Of Man and Mouse How House Mice Became Laboratory Mice (New York: Viking Press, 1971).
Tom McHale, Farragan’s Retreat (New York: The Viking Press, 1971).
Nicholas Monsarrat, Breaking in-Breaking Out, An Autobiography (New York: Morrow, 1971).
Augustus J. Rogers, III, Choice: An Introduction to Economics (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice- Hall, 1971).
Derek Robinson, Goshawk Squadron a Novel (New York: The Viking Press, 1971).
Muriel Spark, Not to Disturb (New York: Viking Press, 1971).
John Stickney, Streets, Actions, Alternatives, Raps (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1971).
Ian Wallace, The Pearl and Prince (New York: McCall Books, 1971).
Jay David, (editor), Black Defiance: Black Profiles in Courage (New York: William Morrow, 1972).
Robertson Davies, The Manticore (New York: The Viking Press, 1972).
G. Davis and K. Pedler, Mutant 59: The Plastic Eaters (New York: Viking Penguin, 1972.
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1972).
Helen Hayes and Anita Loos, Twice Over Lightly: New York Then and Now (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. [1972]).
George V. Higgins, The Friends of Eddie Coyle (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972).
Elizabeth Jane Howard, Odd Girl Out (New York: Viking Press, 1972).
Jeanine Larmoth, Murder on The Menu [Food and Drink in The English Mystery Novel] (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons [1972]).
David O. Selznick, Memo from David O. Selznick (New York, The Viking Press [1972]).
Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama (New York; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973).
Spencer Dunmore, The Last Hill (New York: William Morrow, 1973).
Lebar Gerard and Jacques Israel, When Jerusalem Burned (New York: William Morrow, 1973).
Ross MacDonald, Sleeping Beauty (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1973).
Arthur Miller, The Creation of the World and Other Business: A Play (New York: Viking Press, 1973).
Jesse Stuart, The Land Beyond the River (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1973).
I.S. Young, Uncle Herschel, Dr. Padilsky, and the Evil Eye: A Novel of Old Brooklyn (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, c.1973).
Stanley Ellin, Stronghold (New York: Random House, 1974).
Jess Stearn, A Prophet in His Own Country: The Story of the Young Edgar Cayce (New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc., 1974).
Berkely Mather, With Extreme Prejudice (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975).
Rumer Godden, The Peacock Spring (New York: The Viking Press, 1976).
Ross MacDonald, The Blue Hammer (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1976).
Maria Rasputin and Patte Barham, Rasputin: The Man Behind the Myth (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1977).
Stephen Marlowe, Translation (New York: W H Allen, 1977).
Robert Westall, The Wind Eye (New York: Greenwillow Books, 1977).
Children’s Toys You Can Build Yourself (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall Inc [c.1978]).
Cheli Duran, Kindling (New York: Greenwillow, 1979).
Alma J. Koenig, Gudrun (New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1979).
Jane Roberts, The Further Education of Oversoul Seven (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1979).
Christiaan Barnard, Good Life Good Death, a Doctor’s Case for Euthanasia & Suicide (Englewood Cliff, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980).
Mary Glatzle with Evelyn Fiore, Muggable Mary: My Life with the Street Crime Unit (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1980).
Maxine Marx, Growing Up with Chico, The Biography of Chico Marx by His Daughter (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980).
Joel L. Fleishman (Edited by), The Future of American Political Parties – The Challenge of Governance (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: A Spectrum Book/ Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1982).
James Reid Macdonald, The Fossil Collectors’ Handbook: a paleontology field guide (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983).
Lawrence Fawcett, Clear Intent: The Government Coverup of the UFO Experience (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Reward Books, 1984).
David Pepi, Thoreau’s Method: A Handbook for Nature Study (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1985).
Chet Raymo, Honey from Stone: A Naturalist’s Search for God (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company Inc [1987]).
Lynne Bravo Rosewater, Changing through Therapy: understanding the therapeutic experience (New York: Dodd, Mead, 1987).
Dolores Weeks, The Cape Murders (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1987).

In James Kirkup’s 1993 obituary for the French/Cuban artist and writer Severo Sarduy (1937-1993), he writes:

“When Castro came to power, Sarduy wangled a grant to study art in Paris. His talent as a painter and designer was to accompany his writing throughout his life, and at the time of his death he was planning a vast retrospective of his paintings and drawings in Madrid. He never returned to Cuba, though he always felt anguished nostalgic longings to do so. At 23, he at once felt at home in the city that has welcomed so many Spanish and Latin American refugees from Fascist and Communist butchery. He never considered himself an exile or an immigrant: ‘I am a Cuban through and through, who just happens to live in Paris.’ Nevertheless, he became a French citizen in the Seventies.”

Thanks to Sarduy’s partner François Wahl (1925-2014), a small group of Sarduy’s canvases and works on paper are held in the Graphic Arts Collection. Created with unusual mediums including coffee and fingernail polish, many were in need to conservation and repair. Thanks to the Gratz Gallery & Conservation Studio, ten works have been conserved, re-framed, and are now once again, available for researchers here in Firestone Library.

When first in Paris, Sarduy attended Roland Barthes’ seminars on language at the College de France, and his collection included works on paper by Barthes, now also at Princeton University.

His last book, Christ on the Rue Jacob; translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Carol Maier (Firestone Library PQ7390.S28 C713 1995) was reviewed in Publisher’s Weekly:

This truly beautiful book is the last by the Cuban-born, Paris-nurtured writer who died in 1993 of AIDS. In a collection of brief, even minute, essays, he offers maps to the passage of time. The first such map is his body, on which ‘epiphanies’ are marked by scars-beginning with the navel, the first wound. The second map is Sarduy’s mind, filled with sharp impressions of places (Cafe de Flore, Benares) and people (Roland Barthes, Italo Calvino). It can make for lonely reading, in part because many friends (Barthes and Calvino among them) are dead.

In ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead,’ Sarduy recounts the changes in his address book as death threatens to turn it into a ‘novel, or biographical fiction.’ But, facing his own death, Sarduy refuses to remove the name of a dead friend because ‘it would be like eradicating him all over again, as if I were an accomplice of the void, subjecting him to another death within death’.

New Jersey’s Thomas Edison (1847-1931) is one of the 110 identified figures included the immense painting by Raoul Dufy, commissioned by the Paris Electric Company for the Pavilion of Light and Electricity at the 1937 Paris International Exposition. Painted in only ten months, the mural presents historic and contemporary persons who may have had some role in the development of electricity.

Archimedes is present along with Benjamin Franklin and Marie Curie (the only woman) among many others. Each portrait was completed individually and then, images projected using a magic lantern onto an enormous wall to be painted.

The artist took his inspiration from Lucretius’ De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), which expounds the Epicurean view of the natural origins of the universe. Dufy sought to complete Lucretius’ poem by bringing it up to the present world, creating a temple of Electricity, the goddess of modern times.

A huge power station takes a central position in the mural, with bolts of crackling electricity. The lower level features philosophers, scholars and engineers from antiquity to the present, while the upper register presents images of their discoveries—from mathematics to the light bulb—and its uses.

Originally shown on the concave wall of the Palais de la Lumière et de l’Electricité, built by Mallet Stevens on the Champs-de-Mars, the mural is now permanently installed at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, where it can be viewed for free.

Raoul Dufy (1877-1953), La Fée Électricité (The Spirit of Electricity), 1937. Oil on plywood. 10 x 60 m. Paris, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris.

See also: Titus Lucretius Carus, T. Lucreti Cari, poetæ philosophici antiquissimi de rerum natura liber primus incipit fœliciter ([Verona: Paulus Fridenperger, 28 September 1486]). Rare Books EXKA Incunabula 1486 Lucretius

Kamel Ouidi, Portrait of Severo Sarduy, ca. 1980. Gelatin silver print. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.02149

Our collection of visual art by poet, playwright, and novelist Severo Sarduy (1937-1993) has received so much attention in the past month, we are posting a PDF of the collection with images and call numbers to make patron requests easier. sarduy list with call numbers.

This can, of course, be searched through our online catalogue but given the abstract nature of these works and the lack of any individual titles, the list might prove more helpful.

The collection came to Princeton University with the assistance of the Executive Committee for the Program in Latin American Studies in 2011. Also included are artifacts from his studio, along with several works by his friends Roland Barthes, Jorge Camacho, and José Luis Cuevas.

Severo Sarduy (1933-1996), Triptyque I, II, III, 1990. Gouache, watercolor, coffee, and various other mediums. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.02170