MALRAUX (André). PSYCHOLOGY OF ART. The Imaginary Museum. — - Lot 186

MALRAUX (André). PSYCHOLOGY OF ART. The Imaginary Museum. — Artistic Creation. Geneva, Albert Skira, 1947–1949. 2 large quarto volumes (approx. 29 × 23 cm), paperback, in original illustrated cloth-bound covers printed in black and green, each featuring a photographic reproduction mounted or printed in the center of the front cover. FIRST EDITIONS of the first two volumes of André Malraux’s monumental *Psychology of Art*. The BnF does indeed list *The Imaginary Museum* as published in 1947 and *Artistic Creation* as published in 1948–1949; the third volume, *La Monnaie de l’absolu*, was published in 1950. No edition on large-format paper was announced. *Le Musée imaginaire*, 1947, 155 pp., constitutes the first volume of the series. In it, Malraux develops one of his central ideas: thanks to photography and reproduction, works removed from their original setting, function, and era can be brought together in a universal “imaginary museum.” The book is remarkably illustrated with numerous black-and-white and color photographic reproductions, some of which are full-page. *La Création artistique* (1949, 226 pp.) is the second volume and continues the exploration of the metamorphoses of the work of art, style, and the creative act. The “printed on” date visible on the copy is June 20, 1949, at Albert Kundig’s printing press in Geneva. These three essays—*The Imaginary Museum*, *Artistic Creation*, and *The Currency of the Absolute*—would, a few years later, form the core of *Voices of Silence*. Together, they thus constitute an important stage in the development of Malraux’s aesthetic thought. RICH AND SPECTACULAR ILLUSTRATIONS, characteristic of Skira’s major art publications: ancient and medieval sculptures, non-European art, old and modern paintings, photographic details, and numerous color reproductions. The quality of the layout, which creates a dialogue between text and photography, directly contributes to Malraux’s argument. Copy Only the first two volumes of *Psychologie de l’Art*; *La Monnaie de l’absolu* (1950) is therefore missing to complete the trilogy. Copies preserved in their beautiful original padded covers, a sought-after condition for this edition. A fine copy. The interior pages are fresh and the illustrations are well preserved. A few minor signs of wear on the covers; slightly creased headbands and minor flaws at the ends of the spines, particularly on *La Création artistique*. Nevertheless, the set is very presentable overall, as white covers are generally quite fragile.