Les Histoires du Petit Renaud by Léopold Chauveau,

BONNARD (Pierre): Les histoires du petit Renaud by Léopold Chauveau. Paris, Gallimard, 1926. With 50 stencil-colored drawings by PIERRE BONNARD in black and orange (or blue). 4to, 89, [iii]pp; printed pictorial paper wrappers with end flaps, slight wear at spine ends, otherwise in very good condition. Rare first edition, limited to 344 copies, this being one of 300 printed on Arches wove paper (number 224). FROM THE LIBRARY OF MAURICE SENDAK, signed in ink on front free endpaper "Maurice Sendak / Paris - July, '62" and with his Jennie bookplate. Monod 2715. The narrator of Les histoires du petit Renaud is little Renaud's father, with whom Renaud has short conversations, often at the beginning and ending of each story. While talking and narrating, they arrive at answers to all kinds of subjects, sometimes serious but not always. These include practical matters a child must learn, like hygiene and politeness. Bonnard's illustrations follow the story closely, with a strong eye for detail. Characters in these five stories comprise a large snail, a snake, a little bear, a turtle, and a large, child-eating tree swiftly sketched by Bonnard, with plenty of dynamics and great expression. The colors have also been applied swiftly, but not randomly: they often accentuate specific details, like the eyes of a wolf (in burning orange), or the blue squares on a blanket. The size of the drawings has also been carefully considered. The illustrations in the book have been made to fit between the lines of text, with color panes sometimes continuing beneath the text, further enhancing the unity that exists between text and illustration.