Vítězslav Nezval (1900-1950)

Karel Teige (1900-1951)

ABECEDA

1926
Book format 4°, 31x23,5 cm, 57 numbered p., in Czech. Title page printed in black. Typographic design, cover and photomontages by Karel Teige, photographs by K. Paspa. Softcover binding. Issued by J. Otto, s. r. o. in Prague in 1926 in 2000 copies, printed by Česká grafická Unie a. s., Prague. The cult book of Czech Poetism. A collection of short poems for each letter of the alphabet, coming from associations evoked in the author by the letters, whether visually (typographic) or phonetically. The constructivist visual accompaniment by Karel Teige consists of montages of Paspa`s photographs of dance creations, complemented by striking black stripes on a white background. The book is considered the purest expression of avant-garde ideas of the Devětsil group. Losses in lower part of the spine, slightly torn binding and partially loose, some pairs of sheets slightly separated from the spine, two sheets no. 19-22 slightly torn. Publ.: V. Birgus-J. Mlčoch, Česká fotografie 20. století, Prague 2010, p. 47.