RAYMOND MORETTI (1931-2005) Malraux. Preface by Jacques Chaban-Delmas. The Near One, by Alain Malraux. The Friend, by Jean Lescure. The Fighter, by Pierre Lefranc. The Revealer, by Antoine Terrasse. The Philosopher, by Olivier Germain-Thomas. Paris: Armand and Georges Israël, 1988.

Complete with 8 colour lithographs (including one quadruple and 2 doubles) and also illustrated with 12 compositions in black (including 1 hors-texte), by Raymond Moretti. Limited edition of 1,090 copies, all printed on Lana rag vellum; this copy is one of 150 with a numbered and signed suite by Moretti. Folio (46 x 35 cm). Album in its publisher’s purple velvet slipcase. Excellent condition. Raymond Moretti was a French abstract painter and sculptor. Combining Hebrew letters, lines and colours, he created dynamic works which move in and out of abstraction. Born in Nice, he made a living creating lithographs for posters, magazine covers and stamps. Deeply involved with jazz, he had many famous musicians sit for him, including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Thelonious Monk. In 1959 he created a profile portrait of Dalida, as well as of Martine Carol and Philippe Clay. In 1962, together with Jean Cocteau, he painted numerous gouaches and an oil on the theme of ‘The Age of Aquarius’. In 1963 he met Pablo Picasso, and a great friendship was born between the young artist and the old master. He also illustrated around thirty stamps for the French post office. He created the logo of the French Judicial Police, which combines the head of a man with the head of a tiger. In 1982 he created the art book Les Illuminations de Rimbaud, which received the Golden Eagle, one of the highest international awards given to an art book.