RETHEL Alfred ( author and designer ) - COLLETTE A. ( lithographer ) : - Le Socialisme nouvelle Danse des Morts.

Paris, Goupil, Vibert et Cie. Editeurs ( also Goupil in New York ; E.Gambart & Cie. in London), s.d. (1849) , In-folio, oblong format. 30,5 x 41 cm, title + 6 full page lithographic plates + (1)nn pp (text). Bound in contemporary half vellum, boards covered with marbled papere. Ex-library copy with two stamps on title page. Binding soiled, interior with some soiling and foxing spots, still an acceptable copy of a very rare French edition of this cynical satire on socialism. This publication was inspired by the various revolutions which had swept Europe in the previous year. The commentary on the last page (in translation) begins with '' All equal now: no big, no small, no poor, no rich, only CORPSES.''. The German painter-author Alfred Rethel ( Aachen 1816 - Düsseldorf 1859 ) created this suite as woodcuts. They were transferred on stone by Collette. He was inspired by Dürer; the captions are by Robert Reineck. The original German publication had a great success. The French edition is relatively rare.. .