Aramont Library, Artist’s Books

for my friend louis lopez morton I keep that in mind Aramont Library (Arango Montul) Composed of 1,700 volumes plastic artists, writers (poets, literary critics and critics), editors and printers of modernism, representing the largest number of books of the 19th and 20th centuries, if there is any reason to make it available to the public Washington to the Library of Congress, preserved in boxes in the context of the COVID pandemic, following a donation in 2019.

It is an impressive and invaluable summary of the scenes that “Los Caprichos” (1799; 80 prints that came from copper plates with water, aquatint and dry point retouching) and “Los Desastres de la Guerra” (1810–1820;) starts from; 82 etchings in aquatint by Francisco de Goya and Luciens (1746–1828) so far with a touch of dry point, burning and water and only aguatinta “Songs and Sonnets” (1959) by John Donne (1572-1631) 15 lithographs and 6 rejected plates of the famous Taller tamarindo, with original prints by June Wayne (1918–2010). The cost of copies ranges from 50 to 100 thousand dollars, the most “cheap” up to several million US dollars.

Over many decades this magnificent collection was built up under the supervision of Gordon Hollis (1932–2015), a distinguished bibliophile in charge. Golden Legend, Inc. Rare Books, Fine Prints. But who was the mysterious owner of the same Ark of Illusions and Dreams? Jerónimo Arango Arias (1925–2020), a Mexican multi-millionaire of Asturian origin, who made his fortune with the chain of self-service stores “Aureira” (in Vasco, “Adelante”), who in 1991 joined the Sam Walton Walmart owner and six years later they completely transferred the consortium called Cifra. At the time of his death, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth at $4,300 million.

Wealthy beings are interested in culture and its manifestations in order to obtain a certain social benefit, from the desire for business and prestige. And needless to say, the Arango family has not distinguished itself, Placido (1931–2020) and Manuel (1936) also came to the fore for their philanthropic work; The first, the main donor of the Museo Nacional del Prado and the Museo de Bellas Artes de Asturias, and the second, dedicated to the promotion of philanthropy and the protection of the environment, highlights the purchase of islands in the Sea of ​​Cortés for its documentary dedicated to the high cultures of Mesoamerica to stop his disastrous exploits, despite winning an Oscar for “Sentinelas del Silencio” (1971).

ONLY IN YOUR SUMMER NUMBERS 2023 Great Books & Collections (FineBooksMagazine.com) He has devoted a detailed article to the delivery of the myriad of beauty gems from the northern region to the maximum stockpile of books and documents. Arango’s business interests, as well as some health issues, managed to maintain domicile in Mexico City and Los Angeles, while maintaining both nationalities.

Elo points out that the donation was for the benefit of the excellent American library, which is without doubt recognized as of technical and moral solvency. something that, regrettably, cannot be said to be the case with a good portion of its Mexican counterparts; Other flats are noted for their lack of displays, lack of updated inventory and their uncertain digitisation, among others.

Among the most relevant works are: “Les chants des morts” (1948), Pierre Reverdy’s manuscript poems and Pablo Picasso’s unusual lithographs; “Acuille” (1958) by the surrealist René Crevel, with 14 prints by Dorothea Tanning; “Planetarium” (1959) with a print by Joan Miró of 22 sections written by André Breton; “Jazz” (1947) several original lithographic texts by Henri Matisse; “Cirque de l’Étoile Filante” (1938), 74 woodcuts and 17 aquatints by Georges Rouault; As well as the Show button as an infinite number of Prince volumes by Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, etcetera.

It is indeed a pity that conditions do not exist in our country to keep such treasures and enjoy and study them. El Diario Oficial de la Federación (19.06.2020) published the Institutional Program 2019-2024 of the Archivo General de la Nación, from which it made the following, more than shocking, discouraging about the process of electronic recovery in its diagnosis Data presented: ” Of the 56 linear km of documentation, only 1.15% is digitized documentation. No comment.

by Luis Ignacio Saenz

Associate

SAINZCHAVEZL@GMAIL.COM

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