Radvel (1 results)

First (only) edition, 8vo (23 x 17.5 cm); lithographed title, 6 linocuts of which 4 are in colour, ownership inscription in pencil to p1; original purple printed wrappers with mounted illustration by Usenko, reapirs to spine, covers faded, else a very good copy. The first collection of poems from the Imagists printed in a tiny edition in the Penza provincial printing house. 'Exodus' refers to leaving Penza, where Mariengof lived as a student. In the spring of 1918, the poet's father died from a stray bullet during the rebellion of the Czech legionnaires. After this tragic event, Mariengof left Penza forever and moved to Moscow, where he organised a group of four poet friends: Esenin, Mariengof, Shershenevich and Ivnev, which became the backbone of a new literary movement. Mariengof later said, 'Imagism was born in the city of Penza on Kazanskaya Street'. The collection of poetry also includes the notable first appearance of Osip Mandel'shtam's Dekabrist' from 1917, a striking anomaly (it would be first published officially in Tristia in 1922). Not much is known about the artist Vitaliy Usenko but his illustrations are incredibly striking.