Inscribed by the author
Der Kaiser und die Hexe.
Large 8vo (150 x 240 mm). 58, (2) pp., 2 blank leaves. Printed in red and black on wide-margined paper. With double-page-sized title in six colours and gilt, initials and decorations by Heinrich Vogeler-Worpswede. Original full vellum with giltstamped spine title, inner dentelle gilt, decorative coloured endpapers by Vogeler. Top edge gilt. Stored in a card slipcase with red and green floral decoration.
€ 15,000.00
First book edition of this verse play in which Hofmannsthal attempted to allegorize the profession of the poet. Number 73 of 200 numbered de luxe copies printed on Van Gelder handmade laid paper with the lnsel watermark. Inscribed by the author to the Göttingen historian of literature, Otto Deneke (1875-1956): "Hugo von Hofmannsthal. / Göttingen, den 6. XII. 1906, im Hause Deneke".
Hofmannsthal visited Göttingen in December 1906 to give his lecture on "The Poet and This Time". In a letter to his wife Gerty on December 6th he mentioned having tea with "one Dr Deneke, a friend of Rudolf Borchardt" (cf. Festgabe Dolf Sternberger, Heidelberg 1968, p. 108).
Sumptuously designed by Heinrich Vogeler, this publication is remembered as one of the most beautiful books of German Art Nouveau. Hofmannsthal's lyrical one-act play, written in 1897, had been previously published in "Die Insel" (Vol. 1, no. 4, 1900) with a title by Vogeler and an illustration by Th. Th. Heine.
In excellent condition.
WG² 8. Sarkowski 765. Houghton Coll. 411. Jacoby 14. Papiergesänge 14.
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