The genre of the livre d’artiste emerged in the late 19th century and astonished contemporaries. This marked the first time artwork been arranged within a book, allowing for the interaction of pictures and text. Instead of viewing art on a wall, by turning the page the viewer became hands on with the art, resulting in a new-found intimacy between artist and viewer.

Although the genre of livre d’artiste began in the 18th century by William Blake, a self-publishing artist and bookmaker, this genre reached its apex in postwar France. This led to books produced by artists such as Picasso, Braque, Miro, Rouault, Calder, and Leger, to name a few. These wonderful limited edition works then found their way into the collections of NOMA art patrons such as Victor M. Kiam and Mrs. Frederick M. Stafford.

Unlike a typical book, the livre d’artiste rejects the 2-dimensional page, and embraces unusual forms and shapes. This can be seen in the New Orleans Museum of Art’s collection of livres d’artiste thanks to many generous donors. The Department of Prints and Drawings is pleased to share a selection of these beautiful pieces of art, on display at NOMA this summer.