PAN. Herausgegeben von der Genossenschaft Pan. Editors: Otto Julius Bierbaum & Julius Meier-Graefe [later: Caesar Flaischlen and Richard Graul]. Vols. I-V in 21 nos. (all published). Vol. I: 347pp., 62 plates. II: 351pp., 56 plates. III: 266pp., 39 plates. IV: 267pp., 38 plates. V: 279pp., 37 plates. Most profusely illustrated throughout, including 106 original prints hors texte, as well as 128 hors texte plates and facsimiles, and numerous figures, marginal vignettes and decorations. Dec. tissue guards. Folio. Superb contemporary three-quarter blue morocco gilt, with colored morocco inlays on the spines and other decoration. T.e.g. All original wrappers and Index bound in Edition of 1100 copies constituting the regular issue.
A complete set of the most brilliant and articulate journal of German Jugendstil, one of the most magnificent reviews ever published. Initiated in Berlin by the poet Otto Julius Bierbaum and the influential critic Julius Meier-Graefe, “Pan” adopted from the first an editorial policy which welcomed contributions from a broad and highly diverse roster of artists and writers throughout the Continent, and--particularly under Meier-Graefe’s leadership, which was to end in conflict with his editorial board in the first year--lent its pages and prestige to an artistic vanguard which was remarkably advanced, especially in view of the journal’s socially exclusive readership. With the editorial succession of Caesar Fleischlen and Richard Graul, increasing emphasis was placed on indigenously German art and literature, but particularly in the field of the visual arts it remained one of the most distinguished vehicles for Continental Art Nouveau, Post-Impressionism and Symbolism. Eventually, “Pan” was overseen by an advisory committee of scholars and connoisseurs which included Wilhelm von Bode, Eberhard Freiherr von Bodenhausen, Otto Erich Hartleben, Ludwig von Hofmann, Karl Koepping, Harry Graf Kessler, Alfred Lichtwark, Max Liebermann and Woldemar von Seidlitz. Among its contributors were A. Alexandre, L. Andreas-Salome, F. Blei, W. Bode, R. Dehmel, M.J. Friedländer, G. Gronau, H. v. Hofmannsthal, A. Holz, J.K. Huysmans, P. Jessen, H. Graf Kessler, F. Khnopff, R. Kipling, A. Lichtwark, M. Liebermann, S. Mallarmé, M. Maeterlinck, H. Mann, F. Nietzsche, H. de Régnier, R.M. Rilke, A. Rimbaud, D.G. Rossetti, P. Scheerbart, G. Segantini, P. Signac, H. v. Tschudi, P. Verlaine, H. Van de Velde, A. Venturi, A. Warburg and E.R. Weiss.
The greatest feature of “Pan,” of course, was its presentation of graphic art, particularly its 106 original prints. A listing of the most famous would include Toulouse-Lautrec’s “Mlle. Marcelle Lender en buste” (color lithgraph, Wittrock 99.IV), Peter Behrens’ “The Kiss” (color woodcut), Käthe Kollwitz’ “Begrüssung” (etching), Auguste Rodin’s “Antoine Proust” (etching), Paul Signac’s “Soir” (color lithograph), Vallotton’s “Schumann” (woodcut), and Van de Velde’s “Tropon” (color lithograph). In addition to these (and this is only a partial selection) were original etchings, lithographs and woodcuts, many in color, by Behrens (1 further), H.E. Cross, M. Denis, O. Eckmann (3), Th. Th. Heine, H. Héran, A. Illies, M. Klinger (2), W. Leibl, W. Lestikow, M. Liebermann (4), M. Luce, R. Müller, W. Nicholson, E. Orlik, (3), B. Pankok, H. Petitjean, F. Rops, W. Rothenstein, Th. v. Rysselberghe, W. Strang, H. Thoma and A. Zorn.
“Pan” is celebrated as well for its typographic distinction, and from this point of view too is considered to be the first periodical expression of art nouveau on the Continent. Beautifully printed on fine wove and laid papers, with a cover design by Franz Stuck, it was “Pan” that published the first and probably the finest vignettes and decorative borders by Otto Eckmann, Thomas Theodore Heine and Emil Rudolf Weiss.
Because of the desirability of its individual prints, complete series of “Pan” are very scarce. A bright and immaculate set, the prints in superb condition, in a very fine Jugendstil binding.
Berlin (Verlag Pan/ Fr. Fontane), 1895-1900. $85,000.00
Söhn V.525; Schlawe I, pp. 52-55; Diesch 2663; Prause p. 441; Turn of the Century 98; The Art Press p. 9; Selz/Constantine pp. 83, 161; Schmutzler pp. 204, 208; Arntzen/Rainwater Q271; Bremen: Europäischer Jugendstil p. 62; Münster: Vom Jugendstil zum Bauhaus 19; Salzmann p. 224ff.; Thamer, Zwischen Historismus und Jugendstil. Zur Ausstattung der Zeitschrift “Pan” (Bern, 1980); Bildende Kunst 1850-1914, Vol. I, Parts 1-2 (Berlin, 1970) (with detailed analytical indices of the complete text of “Pan”).