THE BOOK OF REPULSIVE WOMEN

[n.p.]: (Hans Meyer), 1972. Near fine.. Handmade artist-book "transcription" of the 1948 chapbook reprint (suppressed by Barnes) of her first book — a landmark of lesbian verse — lovingly recreated with collaged elements by the German critic Hans Mayer for presentation to Barnes. Originally published in 1915, Barnes later dismissed and tried to suppress later editions of REPULSIVE WOMEN. However, it is now rightly viewed as a landmark of lesbian verse. This edition was transcribed by Mayer for presentation to Barnes. Though the extent of the association between artist and critic is undetermined, the Barnes papers held at the University of Maryland include correspondence between Barnes and Mayer from 1970-1974, and in 1972, Mayer translated "for Barnes" a review of the German translation of ANTIPHON (Caselli). Also in 1972, a festschrift was published for Barnes's 80th birthday. This recreation of THE BOOK OF REPULSIVE WOMEN is speculated to date from the same period. In 1975 Mayer published OUTSIDERS, on women, gay men, and Jews in Western literature, his most influential work and the only one to reach an Anglophone readership; an English translation was published in 1982, the year of Djuna Barnes's death. It remains a landmark study of alienation and transgression. 8'' x 6''. Original green flocked velvet. Blue endpapers. [24] lavender leaves with typescript and illustrations on rectos only. Card with printed William Blake illustration laid in, with inscription by Mayer quoting Barnes's "Six Songs of Khalidine": "'And on his cheek a tear, though no tear fell - / And a voice saying without breath 'Farewell!'"' / For Djuna Barnes, from my heart / Hans Mayer." Mild toning to edges. Else clean and sound. (Inventory #: 50616)