Nezval, Vítêzslav.

Blizenci. Poesie. [With graphic Design of Vit Obrtel].

Praze / Prague, Ladislav Kuncir v Praze, 1927. Small Octavo. 55 pages. Original, illustrated softcover in protective collector’s mylar. First edition, ordinary issue (one of 1000 copies printed); a near fine copy in publisher’s printed wrappers.

Incldues the poems: Blizenci, Tango argentino, Skvrny, Jaro.

Vítezslav Nezval (May 16, 1900, Biskoupky – April 6, 1958, Prague) was one of the most prolific avant-garde Czech writers in the first half of the twentieth century and a co-founder of the Surrealist movement in Czechoslovakia.

Vítezslav Nezval was a member of the avant-garde group of artists Devetsil literally “nine forces”, the Czech name of the Butterbur plant but to a Czech-speaker an obvius reference to the nine founding members of the group. Devetsil members were the most prolific Czech artists of their generation. In 1922, the Devetsil group included, but was not limited to, Vítezslav Nezval, Jindrich Štyrský, Jaroslav Seifert, Karel Teige, and Toyen (Marie Cerminova). Also associated with the group was the later founder of the Prague Linguistic School, Roman Jakobson. Like the proletarian group before it, Devetsil looked to France for inspiration for their avant-garde literature and their Marxist political ideology originating from Russia. Though the Czechoslovakian state was newly formed after World War I, the younger generation felt there was still room for improvement and that a radical solution was necessary to gain true liberation. Most of these intellectuals had a zest for revolution and professed their allegiance to Lenin. Though their philosopher-president, Thomas Masaryk gave them the first real socially-minded democracy, Nezval and others in his group did not accept this regime as representative of their beliefs and goals. In their writings they expressed their preference for the Marxist-internationalist consciousness of class solidarity.
The first manifesto of Devetsil urged young, progressive artists to look deeper into ordinary objects for poetic quality. Skyscrapers, airplanes, mimes, and poster lettering were the new arts.
Nezval was also a founding figure of the Poetism movement. His output consists of a number of poetry collections, experimental plays and novels, memoirs, essays, and translations. Along with Karel Teige, Jindr(ich Štyrský, and Toyen, Nezval frequently traveled to Paris where he rubbed shoulders with the French surrealists. His close friendship with André Breton and Paul Éluard was instrumental in founding The Surrealist Group of Czechoslovakia in 1934. It was the first group of this kind outside France and Nezval served as the editor of its journal Surrealismus.
In collaboration with Nezval on his book Abeceda (which Czech means both “alphabet” and “primer”), Devetsil dancer, Milca Mayerová, performed particular poses to represent each of the letters. Nezval wrote this poem focusing on the forms, sounds, and functions of the alphabet. Teige used typography and photomontage to create lasting images of the moves which are now printed in many editions of the book. (Wikipedia)


Vít Obrtel (22. brezna 1901 Olomouc – 12. cervna 1988 Praha) byl ceský architekt, teoretik architektury, designér, návrhár nábytku, scénograf, typograf, knižní grafik, básník a redaktor.
Vít Obrtel se narodil do rodiny Heleny Obrtelové (roz. Hradilové, *24. ríjna 1874) a Františka Obrtela (31. brezna 1873 – 13. února 1962), novináre a spisovatele. Celé detství prožil v Olomouci, kde také zahájil stredoškolské studium na reálce, ale dokoncil je maturitou v Praze (1918). Poté vystudoval Fakultu architektury a pozemního stavitelství na CVUT v Praze (1918-1925, u prof. Antonína Engela a Rudolfa Kríženeckého).
Po praxi v soukromém ateliéru vstoupil do služeb pražské obce jako architekt-projektant. Od roku 1927 pusobil ve stavebním oddelení ministerstva pošt a telegrafu v Praze a Karlových Varech. V roce 1931 založil v Praze vlastní architektonický ateliér. V roce 1941 byl veznen v koncentracním tábore Terezín. Od roku 1948 pracoval v pražském projektovém ústavu s pozdejším názvem Stavoprojekt (r. 1950 byl vyšetrován kvuli stykum s Karlem Teigem a sympatiím k trockismu). V roce 1960 se podílel na založení pracovište zamereného na projektování zdravotnických zarízení (pozdeji Zdravoprojekt). Zde pusobil jako vedoucí projekcního strediska až do odchodu do duchodu (1985).
Byl jedním z clenu tzv. Puristické ctyrky. Stál v cele casopisu Kvart (1930-1937, 1945-1949). V roce 1931 vydal spolu s Bohuslavem Broukem a Jindrichem Štyrským kulturní leták Rok.
Publikoval projekty a texty v revuích Stavba, Pásmo, Disk, Tam-tam, Fronta, ReD, Plán, Rock, Kvart, Architektura, Ceskoslovenský architekt aj., pricemž ctvrtletník Kvart založil, byl jeho šéfredaktorem, typografem a grafickým úpravcem.
Knižní grafikou a typografií – v konstruktivistickém duchu – se zabýval od roku 1926 a upravil témer padesát knižních titulu, zejména svých prátel – V. Vancury, V. Nezvala, Jaroslav Seiferta, Fr. Halase aj., nejvíce pro Škeríkovu knižnici Symposion.
Clen rady spolku, napr. Spolku posluchacu architektury, Skupiny Kvart, skupiny ARDEV (Architekti Devetsilu), Svazu moderní kultury Devetsil, Klubu architektu, Spolku ceskoslovenských inženýru a architektu, Svazu architektu CSSR, Spolku výtvarných umelcu Mánes (SVU Mánes), Spolku ceských bibliofilu aj. Po ovdovení žil s ceskou básnírkou Marií Bieblovou, vdovou po ceském básníku Konstantinu Bieblovi. Je pohrben na hrbitove v Kromeríži. (Wikipedia)

• Keywords: avant-garde · czech · Czech Art · Czech Avantgarde · Czech Avantgarde Illustrator · Czech Language · Czech Literature · Czech Literature – Collection · Czech Poetry · Library & Collection Building · Poetry · twenties · Typografie · Typographie · Typography · Typography Rare · World Literature
• Language: Czech
• First edition
• Inventory Number: 60138AB