116

Arthur Szyk (1894-1951), illus. & Marc-George Mallet (1887-?)

La Ronde des Déesses. Presentation Copy.

Paris: La Fleur de France, 1925.
First edition, limited issue, quarto; number 68 of 100 copies printed on vergé paper, from a run of 166 copies total; signed and inscribed by Mallet to the celebrated French lawyer Vincent de Moro-Giafferi, "à l'orateur éblouissant dont le verbe pathétique m'a si souvent émeu, avec mes sentiments affectnent [to the dazzling orator, whose passionate words have so often moved me, with my affection]" in purple ink on a preliminary blank; illustrated with an etched frontispiece by Szyk, protected by the original tissue guard; bound in dark brown morocco-backed marbled boards, spine gilt-lettered, marbled endpapers (light marginal toning throughout; some chips and nicks to board edges, two small dents to lower edge of morocco backing); 10 7/8 x 8 ¾ in. 


This collection of Mallet's poetry features a little-known contribution by illustrator Arthur Szyk and is inscribed to the youngest lawyer ever appointed to the Parisian bar. Vincent de Moro-Giafferi (1878-1956) was a criminal defense attorney famous for his powerful speeches which often secured the acquittal of controversial clients. He is best known for his representation of Herschel Feibel Grynszpan, who assassinated German diplomat Ernst vom Rath in retaliation for Germany's persecution of the Jewish people in 1938. Moro-Giafferi's defense of Grynszpan was particularly high-profile and politically charged, as the Nazis used Rath's assassination as a pretext for initiating the horrific events of Kristallnacht

Mallet, a writer and poet, was also a Parisian lawyer. He likely witnessed many of Moro-Giafferi's court orations personally and perhaps sympathized with his work for Grynszpan, especially considering Mallet's friendship and collaboration with the anti-Nazi Szyk.

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