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The salt of time

At Le Caveau des Légendes in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Manuscript

Author

Author André Breton
People cited Charles Baudelaire, Frédéric Zeller

Description

Introductory text for Le Caveau des Légendes dated 1 June 1953 and published on 26 June that year.

It was Fred Zeller, painter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés militant, who asked Breton to write this text as a preface to the brochure for [the jazz club] Le Caveau des Légendes, whose opening night the poet was unable to attend since he had been summoned to Cahors by an examining magistrate. This was June 1953, and the cellar at 22, rue Jacob was decorated with scenes from the life of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The text, titled ‘Le Sel du temps’ (‘The Salt of time’), was republished in the Alentours II section of the third volume of the complete works. [Atelier André Breton website, 2005]

 

Signed handwritten manuscript and typescript, Paris, 1 June 1953.
- 1 in-4° page, titled in green pencil ‘Le Sel du temps’, manuscript written in ink, subtitled ‘Au Caveau des légendes de Saint-Germain-des-Prés’, signed and dated 1953, on the reverse of headed notepaper for Médium with a few deletions and corrections. Text written by Breton for the opening on 26 June 1953 of Le Caveau des Légendes in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which Fred Zeller had decorated and fitted out at 22, rue Jacob. 
‘For what Fred Zeller wants to give us above all is a lesson in hope.’ 
- 2 in-4° typescript pages of the same text, with a few corrections in Breton’s hand, on the reverse of headed notepaper for Médium. Informations surréalistes. [Auction catalogue, 2003]

 

Translated by Krzysztof Fijalkowski

Bibliography

André Breton (Édition de Marguerite Bonnet avec la collaboration de Philippe Bernier, Marie-Claire Dumas, Étienne-Alain Hubert et José Pierre), « Le Sel du temps », Alentours II, Œuvres complètes, tome III, Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, Paris, Gallimard, 1999, p. 1097-1098, notice p. 1465

 

Creation date01-juin-53
LanguagesFrench
Physical description

Ms et Ts - encre noire et crayon vert

Number of pages1 - 2
Reference560000
Breton Auction, 2003Lot 2370
Keywords, ,
CategoriesManuscripts, Andre Breton's Manuscripts
Set[AB's Manuscripts] Miscellaneous Manuscripts
ExhibitionInauguration du musée le Caveau des légendes
Permanent linkhttps://www.andrebreton.fr/en/work/56600100141270
Exhibition place

See also

1 Work
 
False

[N'oublie pas – si tu as le temps, que c'est...]

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André Breton

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Carte postale d'André Breton à sa fille Aube, de Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, le 24 juin 1953.

Deux images, une notice descriptive, une bibliothèque, une transcription, une bibliographie, des liens.

[Correspondance] Lettres à Aube