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Die Reise um mein Zimmer
(Auszüge) [A Journey around my Room]

Item date(s): 2007

Xavier de Maistre
Helmut Schulze  - (book artist)


Pages: unpaged
Size: 386mm
Binding: Board cover - maroon; Slipcase - maroon
Technique: Mixed media
Language: German
Inscription: Signed by the artist
Edition: # I / III


Place publication: Berlin, Germany
Publisher: Edition Offizin Parvus

Additional notes:
Diesem Künstlerbuch liegen Fragmente des Textes von Xavier de Maistres "Voyage autour de ma Chambre" aus dem Johre 1794 zugrunde. Die Übertragung aus dem Französischen besorgte Helmut Schulze, das Lektorat Saskia Jeske. Das Künstlerbuch erschien in einer Auflage von 3 Exemplaren, romisch nummeriert, in der offizin parvus im Atelier Helmut Schulze Berlin, im Sommer 2009. Die Originalzeichnungen, Aquarelle sowie Kaltnadelradierungen, Linol- und Holzschnitte und Inkjet Prints gestaltere Helmut Schulze.

Die Textfragmente wurden in der 14pt. Adobe Garamond Regular gestzt. Der Druck des Textes und der Grafiken erfolgte auf Zerkallbütten, 120g/qm Werkdruck, Chinapapier Tosa Shoji und Wenzhou sowie Inkjet Folie und Transparentpapier. Die Originalgrafiken wurden auf einer Handpresse gedruckt. Der Einband wurde mit einem Original-Linolschnitt gestalter. Die Buchbindearbeiten besorgte de Künstler.

With an English translation "A Journey around my Room" in a folder on the inside back cover. Slipcase.

English translation of text fragments and colophon laid in. The paintings, drawings, drypoints, lino- and woodcuts and inkjet prints are created by Helmut Schulze. Text typeset in 14pt Adobe Garamond Regular and printed on Zerkallbütten, 120 g/qm Werkdruck, Japanese Tosa Shoji, Chine Wenzhou, inkjet film and transparent paper. The original graphics are handprinted. Bound in deep plum paper over boards with an similar color illustration over both boards. Title in silver on spine and paper title label with color illustration on front board. Deep red endpaper. Matching plum paper over board slipcase. No. 1 in an edition of only III copies, signed by Helmut Schulze in pencil in the summer of 2009.

This book is based on the text of Xavier de Maistre’s "Voyage autour de ma Chambre" from 1794. Each of the 3 books is handmade with original work.

The author, Xavier de Maistre, was born in 1763 at Chambéry in France. In 1790, as a young officer in the Piedmontese army, he participated in a duel. It is not known whether his opponent perished or was wounded; de Maistre records no injury to himself. As punishment he was confined to his own quarters in Turin for forty-two days. During that period of house arrest he wrote a book, a short work, but one that would have long influence and enjoy virtually uninterrupted publication to this day in its original French, as well as in translations.

The author’s conceit is that, even though incarcerated, he is free to travel. The mode of meandering he recommends will appeal to everyone, he insists, especially the rich, because it is so inexpensive as to cost nothing. Confined to his room, waited upon by his servant and accompanied by his dog, he roams about, finding means of escape through his imagination and the objects that trigger it. He counts the thirty-six paces of the room’s periphery and crisscrosses it haphazardly. Sometimes he uses his arm-chair as a conveyance. He tips back on its hind legs, balancing and rocking, maneuvers forward, sideways, or rearward, employing this means of locomotion when he has no schedule to keep, that is, when he is not in a hurry, as is the case throughout his imprisonment. How boring, you might think, but he is not in solitary confinement. He has dream visitors as he slumbers in his comfortable bed. At the end of the book it is revealed that he has entertained real guests. The furniture, the books, the pictures on the walls, the views through windows are observed and occasion further observations. Why go so far as to Paris or Rome? Rather range farther as a stay-at-home!

Ref: GB/12715







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