Colombe

The 1920s were a time of growth for deluxe French book editions. some publishers released special, illustrated books besides their regular works, and new publishers appeared that specialised in bibliophile productions. Marcel Seheur was one such new name during the interbellum period. He produced dozens of special books in the 1920s and 1930s, illustrated by artists such as De Vlaminck and Utrillo. After 1934, the French economy collapsed as well, and Seheur disappeared from the scene- as did many other publishers.

The novella Colombe (1933) by René Jouglet is one of the lesser-known editions from this publisher. It is the story of 17-year old orphan girl Colombe, who works in a lingerie store in Dunkirk. Painter Jane Deley provided the book with eleven full-page colour illustrations. The presentations, most of which were of nautical scenes, were replicated by Seheur's business, showing seascapes, ships and sailors. Deley exhibited his work regularly in the 1920s at the Salon des Artistes Indépendants, the Salon d'Automne and the Tuileries, among others. Besides Colombe, no other graphical work of hers for books is known.