Revue Franco-Américaine.

The "intellectual hyphen between the old and the new continents"

First edition, first volume, one of the 45 copies on Japon Imperial paper which were sent to the world leaders of the time, including both the French and the American presidents, the Pope, and Queen Victoria, as listed on the colophon.

This elite magazine aimed to be the "intellectual hyphen between the old and the new continents" (avant-propos) and to bring together the best of both worlds in this "neutral and independent tribune" (ibid.) addressing art and literature, but also fashion, travels, sports, science, and others. Published in French under the direction of Prince André Poniatowski (1864-1954), and with a typography by Felix Vallotton, la Revue Franco-Américaine counted a total of three issues between June and August 1895, of which this is the first. This production features illustrations by eminent turn-of-the-century artists, many of which were part of "Les Nabis", a group of young French artists who played a large part in the transition of art from impressionism to the early movements of modernism; and the literary contributors for this volume include Leon Tolstoy and Stéphane Mallarmé (both also recipients of the Japon Imperial paper copies), Alphonse Daudet, Jules Renard, and many others. Uncommon: irrespective of the issue, Library Hub locates seven holdings in North America, one in France, and one in Germany; WorldCat adds a further holding of the complete run in Glasgow.