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First impression of the true first edition. Illustrated with 24 full-page monochrome plates. Introduction on Mark Gertler's work as an artist by Quentin Bell. ***Near fine in brown cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked. Head and tail of spine slightly creased. Corners sharp. No bumps or tears to the cloth. Slight reading lean. Spine tight. Top edge of page block stained dark-brown by the publisher to match the boards. Internally also near fine with no inscriptions. Pages clean. No creases or tears. ***In a very good colour-illustrated dustwrapper which has not been price-clipped, retaining the original publisher's printed price of 63s net. The dustwrapper is complete, with no chips or tears. just some very slight loss at the extremities, mainly at the top of the spine and corner tips. Edges of dustwrapper slightly rubbed, nicked and creased. Virtually no fading to the spine of the dustwrapper, which is unusual for this book. Dustwrapper bright. ***242mm x162mm. 271 pages including a Select Bibliography, Index of Correspondents, and detailed Index at the back of the book. ***'Mark Gertler (9 Dec 1891 - 23 Jun 1939), born Marks Gertler, was a British painter of figure subjects, portraits and still-life. His early life and his relationship with Dora Carrington were the inspiration for Gilbert Cannan's novel "Mendel". The characters of Loerke in D. H. Lawrence's "Women in Love", and Gombauld in Aldous Huxley's "Crome Yellow" were based on him. During his time at the Slade, Gertler met the painter Dora Carrington, whom he pursued relentlessly for many years. His obsessive love for Carrington is detailed in his published letters.' (Wiki) ***'Mark Gertler was born of Polish parents in the poorest of East London homes. Between the two wars he achieved considerable success and fame as an artist, but overwork and ill-health led him to a tragic death in 1939. His letters reveal an almost fanatical devotion to his art, and an attitude to it alternating between exaltation and despair. Most of those were written to "Carrington", as she was always called, who had been a fellow-student at the Slade and with whom his love affair lasted some years. Integrity of character as much as personal charm won him the friendship of a group of writers and intellectuals which at various times included Eddie Marsh, Lytton Strachey, D. H. Lawrence, Middleton Murry, Katherine Mansfield and S. S. Koteliansky. Many of his letters were written from Garsington Manor and give an intimate picture of Lady Ottoline Morrell's Garsington circle. Among his early friends was Gilbert Cannan, who made Gertler and his affair with Carrington the subject of "Mendel", a novel of London's Bohemia that caused great outcry at the time. This, his tortured relationship with Carrington, his self-examination as an artist, his aims and doubts, his friendships and dislikes are unselfconsciously revealed in this selection of his letters (which have been arranged by Carrington's brother). It is a valuable first-hand account of the mind of an artist, a way of life and of a society. The book is illustrated with examples of Gertler's painting--particularly those of which the artist's own conception is revealed in the letters--and Professor Quentin Bell has contributed an introduction assessing Mark Gertler as an artist.' (Quote taken from the front flap of the dustwrapper) ***A first impression of the true first edition, complete in its original dustwrapper, profusely illustrated, and in nice collectable condition. Of interest to collectors and readers of the members of the Bloomsbury Group, and in particular the artists Mark Gertler and Dora Carrington. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.
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