Surrealism

An almost complete run of Varietes, a monthly magazine published in Brussels by the art critic Paul Gustave Van Hecke. Running from May 1928 until April 1930, missing only no. 5 of the second year (September 1930 - here supplied in photocopy), the magazine carried articles on fashion and photography, dance, cinema and art. The collection includes a special edition, Surrealism in 1929 edited by Louis Aragon and Andre Breton. Anti Bourgeois and anti Catholic, the magazine demonstrated a strongly surrealist line, but it was also influenced by Flemish expressionism. Van Hecke's relationship with the Paris Surrealists was troubled; they were loathe to accept any Belgian offshoot of their movement. Many of the pieces published by Varietes were by 'dissident' Surrealists such as Tristan Tzara and Roger Vitrac. Flemish Surrealism was, in character very different from the Paris based clique around Breton. It was, for instance more firmly rooted in a sense of nationalism and reverence for Flemish history.
This almost complete run of Varietes is housed in a custom made slipcase (with space left for missing volume). The copies are in good condition (one, the January issue for1930 has a torn cover, partial replacement in photocopy). A rare insight into the Surrealist world outside of Paris and an important contribution to the modern Northern European art scene pre WW2. French text.