Whistler and Montesquiou. The Butterfly and the Bat

New York./Paris: The Frick Collection/Flammarion, 1995. First Paper Edition . Oversize Paper. Superb book published in conj. with an exhibition that was held at The Frick Museum in New York City which presented both in the exhibition and this catalog a detailed study of Whistler's 1892 portrait of French artistocrat, poet and critic Robert de Montesquiou-Fezensac that also highlighted the prominent roles played by the two men in the cultural life of late 19th-century Paris. The calalog inlcudes scholarly essays that trace the careerss of Whistler and his flamboyant sitter and documents , the protracted execution of the portrait along with material on its iconography, critical reception and significance within Whistler's oeuvre. Includes numerous excerpts from the correspondence and other writings of Whistler, Montesquiou and many of their contemporaries,and is beautifully illustrated with 138 ills.including 86 in color of the portrait and other pieces by Whistler and by an illustrated selection of Montesquiou's critiques of works by such artists as Moreau, Sargent, Tissot and Rodin. A fine unread copy.