L'Œuf dur

L'Œuf dur (The Hard-Boiled Egg) was a French avant-garde literary magazine founded in 1921 by Georges Duveau (also spelled Georges Duvau), Gérard Rosenberg, Pierre Villoteau, and Jean Albert-Weil, later joined by Maurice David (who also wrote as Jean-Pierre Lafargue). Directed by Gérard Rosenthal (pen name Francis Gérard), a cousin of Max Jacob, the review published sixteen issues between March 1921 and summer 1924. It was printed by the Paris office of the Alençonnaise printing house at 15 rue d'Édimbourg. The magazine featured contributions from many leading surrealist and modernist writers, including Louis Aragon, Marcel Arland, Francis Carco, Blaise Cendrars, Jean Cocteau, Joseph Delteil, Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, Georges Gabory, Max Jacob, Gustave Kahn, Valery Larbaud, Pierre Mac Orlan, Maurice Martin du Gard, François Mauriac, Henry de Montherlant, Paul Morand, Léon Pierre-Quint, Raymond Radiguet, Pierre Reverdy, André Salmon, Marcel Sauvage, Philippe Soupault, Pierre Naville, and Mathias Lübeck (real name Robert Enoch). The review was sold for one franc per issue, with a subscription of ten francs for twelve issues; a luxury edition on fine paper was limited and sold by subscription at thirty-five francs for twelve issues. According to Gérard Rosenthal, the title was chosen to break with lyrical, elegiac, symbolist, or romantic references typical of young reviews and to enter the heart of the matter. The magazine is a notable example of the vibrant avant-garde publishing scene in early 1920s Paris, bridging literary and artistic movements. It ceased publication in 1924.

L'Œuf dur was founded in early 1921 by a group of young writers: Georges Duveau (also spelled Georges Duvau), Gérard Rosenberg, Pierre Villoteau, and Jean Albert-Weil. Maurice David (who also used the pseudonym Jean-Pierre Lafargue) soon joined. The review was directed by Gérard Rosenthal, writing under the name Francis Gérard, who was a cousin of the poet Max Jacob. The first issue appeared in March 1921. The magazine was published monthly, with sixteen issues in total, until summer 1924. It was printed by the Paris office of the Imprimerie Alençonnaise, located at 15 rue d'Édimbourg. The review quickly became a hub for the Parisian avant-garde, publishing texts by many who would become leading figures of surrealism and modernism. Notable contributors included Louis Aragon, Marcel Arland, Francis Carco, Blaise Cendrars, Jean Cocteau, Joseph Delteil, Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, Georges Gabory, Max Jacob, Gustave Kahn, Valery Larbaud, Pierre Mac Orlan, Maurice Martin du Gard, François Mauriac, Henry de Montherlant, Paul Morand, Léon Pierre-Quint, Raymond Radiguet, Pierre Reverdy, André Salmon, Marcel Sauvage, Philippe Soupault, Pierre Naville, and Mathias Lübeck (Robert Enoch). The review also featured illustrations by artists such as Jean Arp, Georges Braque, Max Ernst, and Pablo Picasso, and covers drawn by Jean Cocteau for several issues. Each issue typically ran 14 to 16 pages, with later issues reaching 48 pages. The price was one franc per issue, or ten francs for a twelve-issue subscription; a luxury edition on fine paper was limited and sold by subscription at thirty-five francs for twelve issues. The title, meaning 'The Hard-Boiled Egg', was chosen, according to Rosenthal, to break with the lyrical, elegiac, symbolist, or romantic references common in young reviews and to enter the heart of the matter. The magazine published special dossiers, such as 'Quel est le plus pompier des littérateurs actuels ?' (Who is the most pompier of current writers?) in issue 4, and a follow-up in issue 5. Issue 12 was to include an article by Henri Béraud titled 'La Nature a horreur du Gide', with a possible response from André Gide; when Gide apparently only replied 'Bon à tirer', the article was not published and the reference was crossed out on the contents page, replaced by a poem by Jacques Porel. The final issue, number 16, appeared in summer 1924, after which the review ceased publication. L'Œuf dur remains a notable example of the rich avant-garde literary press of early 1920s Paris.

• 1924

  Final issue (number 16) published in summer 1924; magazine ceases publication.

• 1923

  Issue 12 (January 1923) planned article by Henri Béraud on André Gide is replaced by a poem by Jacques Porel after Gide's non-response.

• 1922

  Issue 6 (New Year 1922) features cover drawn by Jean Cocteau and illustrations by Jean Arp, Georges Braque, Max Ernst, and Pablo Picasso.

• 1921

  Founding of L'Œuf dur by Georges Duveau, Gérard Rosenberg, Pierre Villoteau, and Jean Albert-Weil.

• 1921

  First issue published in March 1921.

• 1921

  Issue 4 (Summer 1921) includes dossier 'Quel est le plus pompier des littérateurs actuels ?' with responses from 15 writers.

Avant-garde literary review associated with the surrealist movement, deliberately breaking with traditional lyrical and symbolist references.

• L'Œuf dur (monthly literary review)

  A French avant-garde literary magazine published from 1921 to 1924, featuring surrealist and modernist writers.

1. 1L'Œuf dur - Wikipediafr.wikipedia.org
2. 2L'Œuf dur - Wikidatawikidata.org
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