Ulysses by Joyce, James - 1935

New York: Limited Editions Club, 1935 Introduction by Stuart Gilbert. Illustrated by Henri Matisse. First edition thus, number 418 of 1500 copies signed by Matisse. Illustrated with six original soft-ground etchings and 20 reproductions of preliminary drawings by Matisse. Quarto, 735 pp. Publisher’s brown cloth, clock design by Leroy H. Appleton gilt stamped and embossed in bas-relief to front board, titles and decorations gilt stamped and embossed to spine, speckled top edge of text block; in publisher’s cream slipcase, titles and decorations in brown to spine. Light spotting to text block fore edge, discreet reinforcement to rear hinge, else fine; very good or better slipcase with some wear to edges and a bit of soiling to spine and edges. Overall, a gorgeous copy of a unique book, an important collaborative effort between Joyce and Matisse. Slocum & Cahoon A22. This historic edition of Ulysses was made possible by George Macy, the founder of the Limited Editions Club (LEC). After the US obscenity ban on Ulysses was lifted in 1933, Macy sought to pair the book with a suitable artist. He eventually struck a deal with Matisse for $5000. Matisse’s illustrations come from six episodes in The Odyssey - “Calypso,” “Aeolus,” “Cyclops,” “Nausicaa,” “Circe,” and “Ithaca.” While Ulysses is significantly connected to Homer’s Odyssey (“Ulysses” is the Roman name for Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic), there is some controversy in the fact that Matisse chose to base his illustrations on The Odyssey rather than Joyce’s book. It is rumored that Matisse never actually read Joyce’s book prior to illustrating it (it is also rumored that Joyce stopped short of signing all 1500 copies – he only signed 250 - because of his anger upon learning that Matisse hadn’t read the book, though there might be less merit to this story). Ulysses is arguably the greatest and most sought-after LEC book, rivaled only by Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, which was published in 1934 and signed and illustrated by Pablo Picasso. . Signed. First Thus. Hard Cover. Near Fine. Illus. by Matisse, Henri.