CABANEL (Guy) - LAGARDE (Robert). To the Black Animal. No place: [Guy Cabanel], June 1958. — In-4, 293 x 210. Unbound, hardcover with filled spine, slipcase covered in red felt with cut-out design. Very rare first edition of the first book by the Surrealist poet Guy Cabanel, self-published in a limited run of only 17 non-commercial copies, of which 15 were printed in June 1958 and 2 in October 1960. This bestiary consists of a series of 27 text booklets—the first of which is a fold-out—and 3 triptychs, printed on heliographic paper. It is illustrated with 41 compositions by Robert LAGARDE, reproduced full-page, as well as numbers and titles calligraphied by Roland SIG (1927–1985). This copy is enhanced by this autograph dedication signed by the author on the first page: To Arsène Bonafous-Murat // for all the interest he // has shown in this book, // and to celebrate our // meeting /// Guy Cabanel The author himself also noted in the colophon that two additional copies were printed in October 1960, one of which is undoubtedly this one. Very well-preserved copy, complete with a bookmark stating: “Caution. Do not use a paper cutter.”