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The Mask of Day

Manuscript

Author

Author André Breton
Person cited Paul Hamann

Description

Manuscript by André Breton, undated, about a mask made by Paul Haman.

At the beginning of 1929, following Paul Éluard's lead, André Breton had a cast of his face made by the sculptor Paul Haman. The result was this text, never published before Inédits III in the first volume of the Œuvres complètes (page 1036), and which Breton probably intended for a catalogue. It is even possible that the text was written as payment for the mask, like certain prefaces given by Breton to painters whose works he liked. [Atelier André Breton website, 2005]

Signed autograph manuscript, undated.

- One page handwritten in blue ink on cream paper titled ‘Le Masque du jour’ (The Mask of Day) with erasures and corrections, and signed by Breton. The text refers to the moulding of his face made following Éluard’s example and probably taken at the same time as him. (Slightly torn and missing paper):

"Paul Haman has managed to turn in our favour the pitiless little god who rules over the petrifying fountains." [Sale Catalogue, 2003].

The handwritten text, or at least its corrections, clearly states the spelling of the sculptor's name: Paul Haman (the second n is crossed out), as do the inscriptions signing the masks. The usage, it seems, has kept the two n's (Œuvres complètes and website bibliography). [André Breton website, 2013]

Bibliography

- André Breton (Édition de Marguerite Bonnet avec la collaboration de Philippe Bernier, Étienne-Alain Hubert et José Pierre), « Le Masque du jour », Inédits III, Œuvres complètes, tome I, Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, Paris, Gallimard, 1988, p. 1036-1038 et les notes p. 1770-1771.

Creation datecirca 1930
Bibliographical material

1 large page in-4°.

LanguagesFrench
Physical descriptionMs - encre noire
Library

Bibliothèque littéraire Jacques Doucet, Paris : BRT 58

Breton Auction, 2003Lot 2150
Keywords, ,
CategoriesAndre Breton's Manuscripts
Set[AB's Manuscripts] Miscellaneous Manuscripts
Permanent linkhttps://www.andrebreton.fr/en/work/56600100286410

See also

5 Works
 
False

Petrifying Fountain

-
André Breton

-

Autograph manuscript of a children's story by André Breton, probably dating from 1956, unsigned. 

An image, a descriptive note, a museum.

[AB's Manuscripts] Miscellaneous Manuscripts

False

Masque d'André Breton

-
René Iché

Empreinte en plâtre du visage d'André Breton daté aux environs de 1950.
Une image, une notice descriptive à compléter.

False

Masque d'André Breton

-
René Iché

Empreinte en plâtre du visage d'André Breton daté aux environs de 1950.
Une image, une notice descriptive à compléter.

False

Masque d'André Breton

-
Paul Hamann

Masque d'André Breton en bronze doré daté aux environs de 1930.
Une image, une notice descriptive à compléter, une bibliographie.

False

Masque d'André Breton

-
Paul Hamann

Plaster mask of André Breton, around 1930.
One image, one descriptive notice to be completed.