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Sleeping fit by Robert Desnos of 27 September 1922

First hypnotic sleeping fits

Manuscript

Author

Author Robert Desnos
People cited Giorgio De Chirico, Simone Kahn, ép. Breton puis Collinet
Notes by André Breton

Description

Desnos’ replies to questions by Breton in a sleeping fit of 27 September 1922.

These are replies to questions that have not been noted down, and are thus all the more troubling for floating without any connection to their context… other than the odd person, such as Breton’s wife acknowledged with a ‘hello Simone’. Far more mysterious is that ‘sweet vagabond’ adorned with a ‘blue ribbon’. The colour blue, like the countess’ ribbon in Beaumarchais, runs through the pages, starting with that stunning ‘blue woman’ who opens the series. The path from beautiful (belle) to blue (bleue) is no longer than a curl that has been stretched out: the slide from what was phonetic and has now become graphic as the very form of the letters of the alphabet invites a play with language. What the sleeping Desnos is exploring here is a new dimension of language, and one can note that, with the exception of Ponge, very few have wished to take the plunge after him into this domain that is nevertheless rich in possible discoveries.

First hypnotic sleeping fits.
27 September 1922 :
- 11 in-4° manuscript pages in black pencil on the headed notepaper of the ‘Congrès de Paris’, with a few original drawings, by Desnos, contained in a sheet of ‘Congrès de Paris’ notepaper folded in half and labelled by Breton: ‘Wednesday 27 September - Desnos, 1^st sleeping fit’ (page crumpled) and ‘2^nd sleeping fit’ (the set):
‘Chirico the marvel with black eyes like a young baby. 

Who? Yes. He will play with the insane for 51 years.

Ask for the Tower from that blue woman.’