Artists' Handbook. With original drawing by Robert Combas

Ghent, Ludion, 2007. Hardcover with printed dust jacket, 30.5 x 23 cm, 624 pp. Edited by Ceuleers. Monumental item, approx. 5 kg, in very good condition.

The Artists' Handbook is an expanded version of George Wittenborn's famous 'Guestbook' featuring 190 signatures and drawings of artists' hands, collected by the New York artbookdealer between 1944 and 1974. Among the artists were Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Asger Jorn, Franz Kline, Man Ray, Andy Warhol, Joan Miro and Le Corbusier. In 2007, Antwerp-based collector and gallerist Ronny Van de Velde, revived the 'hands of art' project by adding hands of contemporary artists such as John Baldessari, Marlene Dumas, Richard Serra, Bruce Nauman, Richard Long, and Louise Bourgeois. The book is designed like an encyclopedia, with alphabetically ordered tap cards. This copy includes a full-page original blue pen drawing by Robert Combas signed 'Combas 2008', adjacent to his facsimile drawing in the book.