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    Letter of February 12th, 1929

    Manuscript

    Author

    Authors Louis Aragon, André Breton
    Letter to Édouard Loeb, René Magritte, Maxime Alexandre, Georges Altman, Louis Aragon, Pierre Audard, Jean Baldensperger, Jacques Baron, Reynor ou Pierre Bernard, Jean Bernier, Jacques-André Boiffard, Joë Bousquet, Jean Caupenne, René Daumal, André Delons, Hubert Dubois, Marcel Duhamel, Marcel Fourrier, Dr Théodore Fraenkel, Camille Fegy, Ernest de Gengenbach, dit aussi Jean Genbach, Roger Gilbert-Lecomte, Camille Goemans, Paul Guitard, Norbert Gutterman, Arthur Harfaux, Paul Hooreman, Henri Lefebvre, Michel Leiris, Georges Limbour, Georges Malkine, Pierre de Massot, Salomon Monny de Boully, Pierre Morhange, Max Morise, Frédéric Mégret, Pierre Naville, Paul Nougé, Pascal Pia, Georges Politzer, Jacques Prévert, Man Ray, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Marko Ristič, Gérard Rosenthal, dit parfois Francis Gérard, Georges Sadoul, Emile Savitry, André Souris, André Thirion, Pierre Unik, Roger Vailland, Albert Valentin, Pierre Vidal, Roger Vitrac, Jean ou Hans Arp, Antonin Artaud, Georges Bataille, André Breton, Jean Carrive, Victor Crastre, René Crevel, Robert Desnos, Marcel Duchamp, Paul Éluard, Max Ernst, Maurice Henry, Édouard Kasyade, André Masson, Joan Miró, Francis Picabia, Benjamin Péret, Yves Tanguy, Rolland Tual, Tristan Tzara
    People cited Paul Bénichou, Jean Delay, Pierre Drieu La Rochelle, René Nelli, Saint-Pol-Roux, Josef Sima, Jean Van Heeckeren, Raymond Queneau, Philippe Soupault, Jacques Viot

    Description

    Handwritten draft by Louis Aragon of a letter addressed to various figures of the intellectual world, dated February 12th, 1929.

    We have here the draft of a letter addressed to numerous public figures of the intellectual world, with a list of them at the end of the document. Written by Aragon, this letter dated February 12th is a major document of the Great Game (le Grand Jeu) affair, which appears as one of the Surrealists' first attempts to take a stand in a largely political domain. This letter is published in the Pléiade vol. I, p. 953, preceded by a comment which sees it as a “signal in the void,” addressed to various figures, of which some have “seriously failed," others not, and of whom the Surrealists would like to acknowledge their position in order to proceed to a “general confrontation.” It is comparable to the Congress of Paris which had failed in the 1920’s but with a much more political slant. [Atelier André Breton site, 2005]

    Handwritten manuscripts in a red folder titled A.A.E.R. (Association des Artistes et Écrivains Révolutionnaires), February 12th, 1929.
    - 3 pages in-4° handwritten in black ink by Breton and Aragon on a paper with the heading “La Gallerie Surréaliste,” and on the back of a paper with the heading “Cintra” of a letter-questionnaire addressed to more than 70 public figures:

    “1) Do you consider that all in all (with the importance of personal considerations, the real lack of external determinations, notable passivity and incapacity of the youngest members to get organized…) your activity should or should not be restricted, permanently or temporarily, to an individual engagement?

    “2 a) If yes, would you accept to make, in the name of all that has brought us together, a short presentation of your motives? Define your position.

    “2 b) If no, to which extent do you consider that a common activity could be carried out or resumed; of what kind would it be; and with whom would you wish or accept to conduct it? Answers should be addressed no later than February 25th 1929 to Raymond Queneau...; they will provide the foundation for a debate. Those individuals who have answered the previous questionnaire will be summoned."

    Letter dated from “Paris, February 12th, 1929”, of which these three handwritten pages are the first draft. Numerous crossings-out and corrections.

    - 1 page in-4° handwritten in black ink, constituting the first draft of a list of 76 public figures to which this letter would be sent. (Crossings-out and corrections).

    - 1 page in-4° handwritten in black ink constituting the final list of the recipients of this letter. (La Pléiade, Tome I, Alentours III, « À suivre. Petite contribution au dossier de certains intellectuels à tendances révolutionnaires, Paris, 1929 », pp. 953-955).

    Bibliography

    - André Breton (Édition de Marguerite Bonnet avec la collaboration de Philippe Bernier, Étienne-Alain Hubert et José Pierre), « À suivre », Alentours III, Œuvres complètes, tome I, Bibliothèque de la Pléiade, Paris, Gallimard, 1988, p. 953-956.

    - André Breton et Louis Aragon, « À suivre », Variétés, n° spécial « Le surréalisme en 1929 », Belgique, Bruxelles, p. III-IV. 

    Creation date12/02/1929
    LanguagesFrench
    Library

    Bibliothèque municipale de Nantes : Ms 3485

    Method of acquisition and collectionVente Breton 2003
    Number of pages5 p.
    Reference211000
    Breton Auction, 2003Lot 2146
    Keywords, , , , ,
    CategoriesArchives, Correspondence, Forwarded Correspondences
    Set[Archives] dossier A.A.E.R./A.E.A.R, [Journal] Variétés
    Permanent linkhttps://www.andrebreton.fr/en/work/56600100646950

    See also

    1 Work
     
    False

    To Mister

    -
    Raymond Queneau

    -
    Letter-pamphlet written by Aragon and Breton, published on February 12th, 1929. Answers should be addressed to Raymond Queneau.

    Le Grand Jeu, Tracts surréalistes et déclarations collectives, [Archives] dossier A.A.E.R./A.E.A.R, [Journal] Variétés