(LYDIS, Mariette). ~ D’Ariane à Zoé. Alphabet galant et sentimental agrémenté de vers, de proses et de lithographies par vingt-six écrivains et autant d’artistes. Paris: [Ducros et Colas for] Librairie de France, 1930.
4to (278 × 220 mm), pp. 191, [7], including alphabetical chapter titles, plus 26 lithographed plates, followed by a suite of all plates on both japon and chine. Original wrappers preserved in contemporary jade green morocco by Louise Pinard, with grey, tan and red onlays and gilt rules, red watered silk endpapers, top edge gilt. Slightly faded. Slipcase.
First edition, tirage de tête, one of 20 copies on japon with two suites (followed by 50 on hollande and 150 on arches, total edition 220 copies). Mariette Lydis supplied a portrait lithograph for this stylish alphabetic collection of texts and illustrations devoted to 26 imaginary women. She illustrates ‘Therèse’, a pale, alienated young woman, to illustrate a short text by Francis de Miomandre lamenting the quotidian life of a northern housewife confined to domesticity despite dreams of a more passionate existence. The other texts include contributions from Henri de Regnier, Giraudoux, la Comtesse de Noailles, Colette, Mac Orlan and Mauriac, and the illustrations include lithographs by Dunoyer de Segonzac, Dufy, Marie Laurencin, Lydis, Daragnès, and Laborde. This is copy 131 of 150 on Arches (after 20 on Japon and 50 on Hollande).
The striking and accomplished binding bears the stamp of Louise Pinard, daughter and successor of the Parisian binder Lucien Durvand (1852-1924). After his death in 1924 his daughter Louise continued to produce bindings until 1934, possibly the date of her own death.