éditions Leal Torres: Powers of the Book / Pouvoirs du livre

Collaborators: Atelier du Livre d’Art & de l’Estampe de l’Imprimerie nationale (IN Groupe)
Louise Bescond
Pierre-Marc de Biasi

As technological revolutions shake our world, causing unprecedented epistemological and existential fractures, the time has come to celebrate the book, this “artifact of ink and paper,” this “guarantor of our values,” whose existence depends on the concerted action of the writer, the publisher, but also the stationer, the type designer, the typesetter, the illustrator, the engraver, the printer, the bookbinder, the gilder… Powers of the Book is a reflection on the book as an object, as well as on the part of ourselves it contains—and preserves.

Powers of the Book was copublished with the Atelier du Livre d’Art & de l’Estampe of the Imprimerie Nationale (IN Groupe). It presents an original text by the renowned researcher, writer and artist Pierre-Marc de Biasi, as well as original etchings by the art bookbinder Louise Bescond. Created in honour of CODEX X, it was published in February 2026 in 10 bilingual (English and French) copies. Each copy is numbered and signed by the writer and the artist.

Box size : 53 x 37,5 cm
Book size : 45,5 x 30 cm
Contains copies of Flaubert’s manuscripts obtained through the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF).
Each original etching presents a handwritten note by the artist Louise Bescond.
Produced in letterpress printing.

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