The Work of Antoine Bourdelle (L’œuvre d’Antoine Bourdelle)

In the mid-1920s, Bourdelle began writing an autobiography, L’œuvre d’Antoine Bourdelle (The Work of Antoine Bourdelle). 
His demise put an end to the project. Only a series of six booklets was published by the Librairie de France. Although fragmentary, this collection is an exceptional testimony to his life, thoughts, artistic vision and works. 
Each volume consists of eight pages of text followed by black & white and colour plates. The first booklet was published in late 1924 or early 1925. The final two, written during the artist's lifetime, were published after his death, by his widow Cléopâtre, in 1930. 
As he was very particular about the quality of the reproduction of his works, the collotype process was used. The colour plates were reproduced “using the most advanced processes, in particular those of Daniel Jacomet”. 
From the very first lines ofbooklet 1, the artist reveals his plan: “The kind of writings we are putting together here, in addition to being a journal of a life, will take the form of active open-ended works.” 
The illustrations of drawings, paintings and sculptures appear in no apparent order. Bourdelle invites the reader to peruse his various creations, facilitated by the large format of the illustrations. 
Through this “paper museum”, he depicts the riches of his future museum.

Claire Boisserolles