Exposition d'art de la Lettonie (peinture, sculpture et art populaire) : 27 janvier - 28 fevrier 1939 : Musee de Jeu de Paume, Paris (Latvian Art Exhibition (paintings, sculptures, applied arts) : 27th Jan 28th Feb, 1939 : Jeu de Paume Museum, Paris)

Near Fine condition; cover shows slight yellowing to the edges, slightly frayed bottom edge of the cover, creases across corners of front cover; internally almost perfect. High quality printing on coated stuff.

Current exhibition of Latvian artists at the Jeu de Paume Museum in Paris took place from January 27 to February 28, 1939. It was curated by Vilhelms Purvitis for Latvia, and Andre Dezarrois, France's curator of national museums. The event's patrons were the Presidents of the two States, an indication of the importance attached to this, the last exhibition of foreign art in France before war broke out. Exhibition displayed paintings, sculptures, and works of applied arts and provided an opportunity to get acquainted with Latvian grand masters Vilhelms Purvitis and Janis Rozentals, and the new painters who had turned to French art of that time - Jekabs Kazaks, Jazeps Grosvalds, Oto Skulme, Uga Skulme, Niklavs Strunke, Gederts Eliass, Leo Svemps, Jekabs Bine, etc. In the exhibition participated 32 painters with 169 artworks, 7 sculptors with 18 sculptures, also national craftsmen viewed as an expression in their own right of Latvian culture. Through such large-scale exhibition held abroad Latvian art had gained new, internationally recognized quality. According to French art critics, Latvians showed an art with a strong national style.

The exhibition catalogue provides valuable insight into the event. It includes introduction by French essayist and journalist Maurice Bedel determining characteristic features of Latvian art, quite extensive article considering contemporary Latvian art tendencies with mention of main representatives by art historian and artist Janis Silins, an item about applied arts by ethnographer Valdemars Ginters. Articles followed by list of exhibits with short statements describing each artist. At the end of the catalog placed 32 full-page artworks reproductions illustrating creation of almost all participants.