BARTA (Lazlo) - MÉRIMÉE (Prosper). Colomba. Casablanca: Éditions de la Cigogne, 1948. - In-4, 325 x 250 : 245 pp, (7 ff. last 5 blank), illustrated cover. In sheets, filled cover, publisher's folder and slipcase. Fine edition, edited by Jacques Klein, printed in an edition of 250 copies. It is illustrated with 99 compositions by the Hungarian painter and engraver László BARTA (1902-1961), including 54 original etchings: one adorns the cover, another serves as a frontispiece, a third illustrates the title page, and the remaining 51 are integrated throughout the text. There are also 24 ornaments and 21 lettering in bistre, wood-engraved by Pierre Bouchet from Barta's sketches. Bouchet also printed the text on his own presses. A precious copy, one of 15 reserved for artists and collaborators, this one on Rives vellum, specially printed for Pierre Bouchet (no. XI). It has been enriched with the following items: - 2 L.A.S. from Jacques Klein, one countersigned by Barta, addressed to Pierre Bouchet, Saint Tropez 8 October 1945 and Marseille 19 October 1947, 3 pages in-4. - Correspondence of 10 L.A.S. and 2 telegrams from Lazlo Barta to Pierre Bouchet, 26 pages in-8 and in-4. Very interesting correspondence dealing exclusively with the publication of the book, his drawings and their reproductions. - 6 pages of autograph notes by Pierre Bouchet. - More than 60 original drawings of ornaments made by Barta for the book, including several collages and others on tracing paper. - Original cover design. - Original artwork for the title page. - Test proofs of 9 ornaments, cut out, enclosed in an envelope addressed to Pierre Bouchet by Barta. - Around fifty original ink lettering, cut out, in an envelope addressed to Pierre Bouchet by Klein. - 4 pages in-4 of pencil studies of lettering. A very well preserved copy, despite the slightly browned cover. Provenance: Pierre Bouchet.