Code
By Jean-Clarence Lambert
Illustrated by Victor Vasarely
Language: French
Publisher: Le Soleil Noir, 1967
Edition: First edition, number 47 of only 150 copies printed on Arches vellum
Format: Softcover in original emboîtage-objet slipcase
Condition: Book in pristine, unread condition with uncut pages; slipcase in fair condition with visible wear and damage

This rare and visually striking 1967 collaboration between poet and art theorist Jean-Clarence Lambert and Op Art master Victor Vasarely is a true gem of 20th-century modernist publishing. Published by the avant-garde press Le Soleil Noir, Code is a limited edition work—this is number 47 of just 150 copies printed on fine Arches vellum, presented in an original emboîtage-objet (sculptural slipcase), itself a nod to the book-as-art-object philosophy of the time.

Lambert, one of France’s most influential postwar literary and critical figures, crafts an abstract poetic language that finds its visual counterpart in Vasarely’s signature geometric and optical compositions. Together, they push the boundaries of perception, text, and form in a bold dialogue between word and image.

The book is in pristine condition, with uncut pages—indicating it has never been read—while the unique presentation case shows wear but still holds its sculptural presence.

A highly collectible artifact for connoisseurs of concrete poetry, French avant-garde publishing, and the Op Art movement.