DALI (Salvador). The Bestiary of La Fontaine Dalinized. - Lot 126

DALI (Salvador). The Bestiary of La Fontaine Dalinized. Exceptional suite of 12 drypoint engravings by Salvador DALI, 11 of them enhanced with stencil colors, all signed by the artist and justified 3/250. Agay (Saint-Raphaël), Robert Mouret and Éditions des maîtres contemporains, 1974. Broadside (765x570 mm), leaves, in black and red printed folder, original beige velvet-covered slipcase with gilded title and artist's signature on front cover, two clasps with snap fastener. Minor foxing to title. Magnificent suite of twelve drypoint engravings by Salvador Dali, including a portrait of La Fontaine in black and 11 plates stencilled in color to illustrate some of the most famous fables. Each plate, printed on Arches vellum in Jesus format, is signed by the artist in the lower right and justified 3/250 in the lower left. Summary of plates: 1. Portrait of La Fontaine 2. Jupiter's Elephant and Monkey 3. Le Cheval s'étant voulu venger du Cerf 4. The Raven and the Fox 5. The Animals Sick of the Plague 6. The Horse and the Wolf 7. The Sick Deer 8. Le Cerf se voyant dans l'eau 9. The Monkey and the Leopard 10. The Tick and the Fly 11. The Lion's Court 12. The Oak and the Reed The first cover of the folder bears the justification, the publisher's signature and Maitre Bilger's signature. Each etching is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity, dated April 22, 1976 and signed by the publisher and Maître Bilger, bailiff in Metz. A very fine copy of this extremely rare illustration of La Fontaine's fables by the famous surrealist.