In 1949, Jorge Luis Borges characterized the art of Alejandro Xul Solar (1887--1963) as both “monumental and delicate at the same time, like a blend of invention and rigor, of ambition and modesty.” This beautiful book brings together approximately 150 works of art, books, documents, and manuscripts from Xul Solar’s personal archive as well as from public and private collections, providing the first in-depth study of this fascinating artist, one of the most influential in Latin American avant-garde art. Essays by a distinguished team of scholars explore the following ideas about Xul Solar’s work: the artificial languages conceived by the artist; the occult visions relating to his art; the artist’s connection with music; and the relationship between the artist and Jorge Luis Borges. The book also includes an artistic and biographical chronology. Bilingual (Spanish/English) Distributed for MALBA-Colección Costantini, Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires Exhibition Schedule: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (January 29 -- April 16, 2006) Patricia M. Artundo is professor at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Jorge Schwartz is Professor of Spanish-American Literature at the Universidade de São Paulo. Daniel E. Nelson is an independent art historian. Cintia Cristiá is an independent scholar, specializing in music and musicology. Maria Lúcia Bastos Kern is professor at the Pontificia Universidade Católica de Rio Grande do Sul. Annick Louis is Maitre de Conférences at the Université de Reims, France.