LEBEDEFF, JEAN (1884 - 1972)

VIEWS OF PARIS, THE GAILLON FOUNTAIN. Ink, pencil, colored pencil on paper. 26 x 19.3 cm (at sight). Around 1935. The book dedicated to the artist is included. Born in 1884 in Russia, Jean Lébédeff was a prolific illustrator and renowned wood engraver, who illustrated hundreds of books until the 1950s. Arriving in Paris in 1909, he gravitated around Montparnasse (and met Picabia, Ravel, Éric Satie, Modigliani...) then gave free rein to his love for the city of Paris with numerous drawings, of a great modernity of framing, in particular between 1936 and 1938, for a book project on the "Old Paris", which never saw the light of day. This set of drawings is part of a series of 35 drawings, the only one known to date, excluding engravings. Rediscovered by the gallery owner Michel Lagarde, these drawings were recently published in the book "The Forger" - Text by Patrick Marsaud, illustrations by Jean Lébédeff -Editions Michel Lagarde, Paris, May 2021