Prolégomènes a une ethique sans métaphysique ou, Billy, bull-dog et philosophe (Prolegomena to an ethic without metaphysics, or, Billy, bulldog and philosopher)

Pierre de Massot was a French Surrealist writer whose arm was infamously broken by Andre Breton during a restaging of Tristan Tzara’s Dadaist play La Coeur a gaz (The Gas Heart). The incident inspired Tzara to publish the single-issue Dadaist newspaper Le Coeur à barbe.

Much of Massot’s work is autobiographical, including this manuscript, which translates to “Prolegomena to an Ethic without Metaphysics, or, Billy, Bulldog and Philosopher.” Massot collaborated with Surrealist painter Kristians Tonny to depict whimsical drawings of Billy, Massot’s real pet bulldog, witnessing human conflict.

Mary Reynolds’s binding of the book represents Massot and Billy’s conflict. Massot’s name runs vertically down the spine in black leather, with the book’s title arranged sideways on either side, interrupting the deep brown binding. The title is placed on either side of the spine, along with the two gilded accents above and below the inlay, give the impression of a plaque, or, even, a military dog tag.