About the cover:
Full-grain binding Beige buffalo leather, light blue buffalo leather inlaid in the centre of both covers, large multicoloured drops and several 2 mm thick plexiglass drops printed in colour on the underside glued to the front and back covers, black spine title à la chinoise; barbed edge, hand-stitched beige silk endpapers, mirror and flyleaf of light beige Japanese creased paper, half-leather hinged case with black embossed title on light blue leather label.
About the content:
Jules Laforgue: Les Complaintes
With original lithographs by Gabriel Dauchot, Ex. No. 88 for the shareholder Fernand Sicart, from a total of 130 copies on Rives, Société Normande des amis du libre, Paris 1957.
Like many of his French contemporaries, Laforgue was preoccupied with modern thinkers. In his work, he shocks readers by playing with poetic discourse, parodies, forgeries and even paraphrases. His work is also anchored in the decadent spirit of the end of the century, which does not correspond to the Romantics' idea of harmony, beauty and balance. With irony, he exposes the complaints, mistakes and excesses of Romanticism.
About the artist: After studying at the École Estienne, including in the class of Raymond Mondange, Daniel Henri Mercher worked from 1964 in the studio of his father Henri Mercher (1912–1976), probably one of the most innovative binding artists of the 20th century. In 1972, Daniel set up his own business before taking over his father's workshop in 1976 after his father's death.
He particularly favoured hand gilding and gave lessons. In 1994, he left Paris and settled in Wissous, 15 kilometres south of Paris. He retired from his work in 2015.
