Original early Soviet art publication devoted to Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen (1859–1923), the celebrated Swiss-French artist, illustrator and printmaker known especially for his depictions of Paris, Montmartre and working-class life.
The book was written by Russian art historian A. A. Sidorov and published in Moscow by the State Publishing House.
An especially important feature of this particular copy is its provenance: the book comes from the personal library of prominent Kyiv architect Pavel Alyoshin (1881–1961).
The volume was acquired as part of a large group of approximately 150–180 books originating from Alyoshin's library and obtained directly from members of his family.
The book is titled:
“СТЕЙНЛЕН. ХУДОЖНИК ПАРИЖСКОГО ПРОЛЕТАРИАТА”
“Steinlen: Artist of the Parisian Proletariat”
The publication has an interesting original dating discrepancy.
The title page states Moscow, 1919, while the preserved original publisher's pictorial cover is dated Moscow, 1920.
The printing colophon provides further precise information, stating that the book was printed at the Second State Printing House in Moscow in October and November 1919.
Therefore, the 1919 title-page date and 1920 cover date are both original features of this edition.
The text consists of 26 numbered pages discussing Steinlen, Parisian art and his representations of workers and everyday urban life.
A particularly important feature of the publication is its extensive illustrated section.
The book contains 16 numbered separate plates (I–XVI):
I. Self-Portrait – lithograph
II. Proletariat – etching
III. Night Concert – etching
IV. Despair
V. Washerwomen
VI. Crime in Calais
VII. Strike
VIII. Thief
IX. Urban Love I
X. Urban Love II
XI. Apaches I
XII. Apaches II
XIII. Vagabond
XIV. Waiting
XV. Refugees
XVI. Strikebreakers
In addition to these 16 numbered plates, the book retains its separate illustrated frontispiece.
Thus, all 16 numbered plates plus the frontispiece are present – 17 separate illustrated leaves in total.
Additional Steinlen drawings and illustrations are printed within the text.
The images form an evocative survey of Steinlen's socially engaged art, including workers, strikes, demonstrations, refugees, poverty, Paris street life and other subjects closely associated with his work.
An important feature of this particular copy is the survival of the original 1920 publisher's pictorial cover, which has been retained inside a later private hardcover binding.
The binding is simple and utilitarian in construction, with blue boards and a burgundy cloth spine.
Another large-format book originating from the same Pavel Alyoshin library survives in an almost identical binding, using the same general format and construction.
This suggests that the bindings were part of Alyoshin's personal library practice and may have been made privately for his own use, possibly even by Alyoshin himself. However, no documentary evidence identifying the binder is known, so this should be regarded as an attribution rather than a confirmed fact.
A small old paper identification label also remains attached to the spine.
PAVEL ALYOSHIN PROVENANCE
Pavel Alyoshin was an important Kyiv architect whose career spanned the late Imperial Russian and Soviet periods.
This volume represents an interesting surviving item from his personal working library and combines architectural / cultural provenance with an early Soviet publication devoted to one of the major graphic artists of turn-of-the-century Paris.
Details:
Author: A. A. Sidorov
Artist: Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
Title: Steinlen: Artist of the Parisian Proletariat
Publisher: State Publishing House
Place: Moscow
Title-page date: 1919
Original publisher's cover date: 1920
Printing: Second State Printing House, Moscow
Printing period: October–November 1919
Text: 26 numbered pages
Illustrations: 16 numbered plates + frontispiece – 17 separate illustrated leaves
Language: Russian
Provenance: Personal library of Pavel Alyoshin
Size: 230 × 297 mm (9.06 × 11.69 in)
A particularly interesting association copy for collectors of Théophile Steinlen, French graphic art, Montmartre, early Soviet art publishing, Ukrainian architecture and Pavel Alyoshin.
Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description.
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