The Black Venus

A novel of bohemia by an important French poet, novelist, and critic. Salmon was in Appollinaire's circle and wrote cubist verse as well as articles which helped spread the movement. He flirted with dadaism for a while and wrote this roman-à-clef of the French avant garde. Robert M. Coates's Preface identifies "Sorque" as Picasso, "O'Brien" as MacOrlan, "Darneting" as Wedekind, "Daubelle" as Salmon himself, and also including Max Jacob, M. Septime, Derain, and Paroli.