Savage Messiah; Gaudier-Brzeska

New York: The Literary Guild, 1931. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. Good. v, [5], 260 pages. Frontis illustration. Illustrations (Plates and Drawings). Cover worn. The outstanding biography of the great sculptor Henri Gaudier Brzeska, and his muse Sophie Brzeska. Harold Stanley Ede (7 April 1895 - 15 March 1990), also known as Jim Ede, was a British collector of art and friend to artists. In 1921, Ede became assistant curator at the National Gallery of British Art in London whilst continuing to study part-time at the Slade. Whilst working at the Tate, he tried to promote the work of the contemporary artists of the day, including artists such as Picasso and Mondrian. Ede formed numerous friendships with avant-garde artists of the day. He acquired many works of art that were largely under-appreciated at the time. In particular he secured much of the work of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska from the estate of Sophie Brzeska. The collection included numerous letters sent between Henri and Sophie and Ede used these as the basis for his book Savage Messiah on the life and work of Gaudier-Brzeska. Henri Gaudier-Brzeska (4 October 1891 - 5 June 1915) was a French artist and sculptor who developed a rough-hewn, primitive style of direct carving. Henri Gaudier was born in Saint-Jean-de-Braye near Orléans. In 1910, he moved to London to become an artist, even though he had no formal training. With him came Sophie Brzeska, a Polish writer over twice his age whom he had met at the Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, and with whom he began an intense relationship, annexing her surname although they never married. Only Savage Messiah by H. S. Ede (Jim Ede) focuses on the relationship. Brzeska was more a companion and her relationship with Gaudier resembled a co-dependency, since both suffered from clear mental health issues. Henri was devoted to Sophie, even taking her last name as his, but Sophie was often dismissive and cold towards Henri's romantic overtures. They were often apart and Sophie would buy Henri prostitutes for his enjoyment instead of having relations with him.