Sergeiu Eseninu [To Sergei Esenin] by Maiakovskii, Vladimir and Aleksandr Rodchenko, illustrator

Tbilisi: Zakkniga, 1926. Octavo (17.5 × 12.8 cm). Original staple-stitched photo-illustrated wrappers (front and back); 15, [1] pp. Two full-page photomontage illustrations by Rodchenko. Faint crease to wrappers, but still very good; overall a rather well-preserved copy. First printing of Mayakovsky's poem on the death by suicide of Sergei Esenin (1895-1925), one of the most popular Russian lyric poets of the early twentieth century. A so-called "peasant poet" who had welcomed the October Revolution, he led a troubled life and increasingly conflicted with the Soviet state. At the age of 30 he was found dead in one of the rooms of the Hotel Angleterre with a suicide note. Illustrated with two fine photomontages by Rodchenko, in addition to the striking front and rear wrapper designs printed in black and red.

Scarce in the trade in such good condition. Getty 537. MoMA 659.