Olympe & Henriette
Olympe & Henriette
Sherman Oaks, CA: Joe D'Ambrosio, 1992. 24 pp. 6 1/4 x 9". LIMITED EDITION of 75 copies and 10 artist's proofs, this being #46, box binding with patterned floral cloth sides, a blue-grey cloth backstrip over a broad telescoping spine composed of five stepped planes, the central and highest of these surfaces with long vertical printed paper label, text printed on leaves with raised accordion portions, both raised and recessed portions with engraved illustrations, cloth inlays, or serigraphs, the recessed title page under a stretched netting meant to resemble opera hose, most of the leaves with decoratively cut curved and spiked edges, signed by the publisher on the colophon, accompanied by 9 pieces of ephemera, including a typed letter signed by D'Ambrosio regarding his upcoming book "Christus Apollo", a postcard announcing the BCC retrospective exhibition of D'Ambrosio works, a signed thank you letter regarding the purchase of "Olympe & Henriette", an invoice and pop-up prospectus for "Olypme & Henriette", a prospectus of "The Stars", an order form for "Only in America", a prospectus for "Oaxaca and the Saguaro Cactus", and a prospectus for "David", all in fine condition.
This story of two Parisian prostitutes by the obscure French satirist Villiers de L 'Isle-Adam (1838 - 1889) is printed on paper made by Madeleine Pestiaux. Joe D'Ambrosio (1934 - 2009) began designing books in 1969. His goal was to "create a visual environment for the written word". He lived in southern California for most of the 1980's and moved to Phoenix after the large San Fernando earthquake of 1989. He produced over 90 books but also created a variety of posters, bookplates, and did special projects, such as the design of the California State Library rotunda floor in Sacramento.
- Publisher
- Joe D'Ambrosio
- Binding
- Hardcover