Kinderlust

1923. JESPERS, Floris. Kinderlust. [1], 12 ff. Each of the 12 verses by Jan Peeters are illustrated by a linoleum colour block-print by Floris Jespers. Oblong 4to., 228 x 300 mm, bound in original bright pictorial wrappers, front and rear wrapper with a different colour illustration, in a new purple cloth folding box. Antwerp: J.F. Bogaerts & R.R. Dodson, 1923.

A fine copy of the only children's book produced by a member of the Belgian avant-garde, with its celebrated modernist illustrations. This early avant-garde children's book, with its highly-imaginative plates, characterized by an interplay of abstract geometric and decorative patterns in primary colours, is an outstanding example of post-World War I book illustration. Jesper's book exhibits an interplay of various artistic movements such as Cubism, Constructivism, Expressionism and De Stijl at the beginning of the twenties. Created for children, but now valued by adults, it is an extremely rare book. OCLC lists only three copies worldwide, Princeton, the Bibliothèque Nationale and the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin. It has also escaped the notice of the standard reference works. Vlaamse Jeugd-literatuur Brussels 1982, No. 141.