This catalogue accompanies an exhibition held in two venues: THE DREAM OF A CITY. NANTES AND SURREALISM, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes and Nantes Municipal Library, December 17, 1994 – April 2, 1995. It was during this event that I particularly discovered the paintings of Pierre Roy (1880–1950). I gave a lecture at the Municipal Library, which became the article you are about to read, retracing in detail André Breton’s visits to Nantes.

The Dream of a City – Nantes and Surrealism, Paris, Musée des beaux-arts de Nantes, Municipal Library, Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1994, 552 pp. (2nd ed. 2001), foreword by Yannick Guin.

Overview:
Nantes holds a special place in the story and imagination of Surrealism. It is in Nantes that, by chance—through births or adventurous stays—Jules Verne and Villiers de l’Isle-Adam, André Breton and Jacques Vaché, Pierre Roy and Max Ernst, Benjamin Péret, Claude Cahun, Jacques Viot, and Camille Bryen crossed paths, met, or went unacknowledged. From this combination of coincidences and events was born the myth of Nantes as a Surrealist city. Through true exploration and careful research, an untold chapter of Surrealism’s history is revealed in these pages.

Contents:
Meeting with Robert W. Guibal.
— Georges Sebbag, Breton Dreams of Vaché.
— Jean Schuster, On Nantes: Strictly Personal Reflections.
— Jean-Paul Perrin, Doctor Paul Perrin, Friend of Jacques Vaché.
— Jacques Baron, News of Jacques Vaché.
— Henri Béhar, André Breton: Twenty Years in Nantes.
— Vincent Rousseau, About Madame de Senonnes.
— Jean-Luc Steinmetz, Breton and Mallarmé. A Nantes Friendship: Dr. Edmond Bonniot.
— Dominique Rabourdin, "The Excellent Polish Doctor." Henri Pastoureau at the Edge of Brittany. Henri Rousseau, Alfred Jarry, Jacques Vaché, and André Breton.
— François Leperlier, Claude Cahun. The Gravity of Appearances
— François Leperlier, Suzanne Malherbe: "Moore's Dream"
— Patrice Allain, Jacques Viot. From Surrealist Dream to Pacific Shores: The Art of Discovery.
— Victoria Combalia, Viot and Mirò.
— Vincent Rousseau, Max Ernst in Pornic.
— Cécile Bréhant, Pierre Roy.
— Vincent Rousseau, Biographical Landmarks.
— Dominique Rabourdin, Jacques and François Baron.
— Jean Jamin, Michel Leiris in "Nantes the Enchantress."
— Pierre Cheymol, The Poetry of Jacques Baron.
— Dominique Rabourdin, André Breton and Julien Gracq in Nantes: Béatrix’s Ring.
— Yves Cosson, Maurice Fourré: Apostle of the Marvellous.
— Michel Butor, Camille Bryen: An Oceanic Dream.
— Régis Antoine, Benjamin Péret, the Poet.
— Claude Courtot, The Transatlantic Passenger. Benjamin Péret and America
— Guy Prévan, Benjamin Péret: The Revolutionary Activist.
— The Echoes of Surrealism
— Yves Cosson, Cadou and the City of Orpheus. A Center of Surrealist Chance?
— Vincent Rousseau, Nantes Painters.
— Gabriel Parnet, Red and Black Flags. Surrealism and Situationism in Nantes.
— Jean-Christophe Averty and Patrice Allain, "As beautiful as... the meeting of Jean-Christophe Averty and the quays of the Loire on the Pont de Pirmil."
— Vincent Rousseau, Nantes, Surrealist City. Events and Facts. .......

Exhibition review

Download my article André Breton, Twenty Years in Nantes

Further reading: Henri Béhar, André Breton: The Great Undesirable, 3rd ed., Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2024