Christian Morgenstern's Grotesken.

REYCRSBACH (Hans):

Christian Morgenstern's Grotesken.

Hamburg: Kurt Enoch, 1923. With 12 page lithographs by Hans Reyersbach (afterwards Rey), each hand-signed in pencil and with original tissue guard cover. Folio, [5]pp + twelve sets of title-sheets + prints; binding threads broken, loosely laid inside gilt-lettered pictorial vellum.

First edition, of four hundred copies printed, this is one of the first hundred (Copy 3) hand-printed with the individual prints pencil-signed. The limitation leaf is also signed by the artist in ink.

Christian Morgenstern (1871-1914) was inspired by English literary nonsense, which proved immensely popular, even though he enjoyed very little success during his lifetime. He made fun of scholasticism, e.g. literary criticism in "Drei Hasen", grammar in "Der Werwolf", narrow-mindedness in "Der Gaul", and symbolism in "Der Wasseresel". In "Scholastikerprobleme" he discussed how many angels could sit on a needle. This art portfolio by Hans Rey is an early recognition of Morgenstern's genius. Rey is himself best remembered for his creation of the children's book monkey Curious George.