VASSOS, Ruth and John. Ultimo. An imaginative narrative of l - Lot 300

VASSOS, Ruth and John. Ultimo. An imaginative narrative of life beneath the earth. A major work of science fiction, combining concise writing with bold Art Deco illustrations. New York, E. P. Dutton & Company, 1930. In-4 volume (265 x 200 mm), publisher’s hardcover, full red cloth, geometric design stamped in gold, white, and black. Several binding variants exist (red, gray-blue, and brown cloth). 48 unnumbered pages & 22 plates. In English. Spine slightly discolored, otherwise fresh and clean. First edition, a copy from the regular print run following 115 numbered copies. Illustrated with 22 inset plates by John Vassos, combining Bauhaus and German Expressionist influences. Upon its publication, this book was hailed by critics as “a total work of art,” blending Ruth Vassos’s elliptical and visionary text with John Vassos’s powerful Expressionist illustrations. A copy was acquired by the Bibliothèque nationale de France in 2004, attesting to the institutional recognition of this avant-garde graphic novel. Very famous in his day, John Vassos (1898–1985) was an artist of Greek origin who spent his entire career in the United States. Provenance: handwritten “ex dono” on the front endpaper, unidentified signature.