LEONETTO CAPPIELLO (1875-1942) LES CONTEMPORAINS CELEBRES. 1904.

13x10 1/4 inches. G. de Malherbe, Paris.
Condition A. Book with 28 photographic plates and 13 caricatures, bound in painted wooden boards, with an in-laid medallion.
Published by the Lefevre-Utile biscuit company, this pre-fabricated scrap book boasts fantastic Art Nouveau photomontages of some of the preeminent Parisian celebrities of the fin de siecle and full color, lithographed caricatures by Leonetto Cappiello, as well as bibliographical notes. Each photomontage shows a photographic portrait of the celebrity surrounded by elaborate, pastel-hued Art Nouveau ornamentation and is accompanied by a printed signature and inscription in the celebrity's own hand. Among the personalities included are Sarah Bernhardt, Anatole France, Jules Massenet, Alfred Capus and many others.