Paris, chez François Pomeray et Au Palais, 1628.
Large 8vo [170 x 104 mm] of (16) ll. including 1 engraved frontispiece and 3 portraits, 900 pp., (2) ll. Bound in full contemporary overlapping vellum, flat spine with the handwritten title on the top. Contemporary binding.
Rare first edition of the conclusion of L’Astrée that was sold separately. Brunet, V, 1015; Tchermerzine, V, 942.
“D’Urfé only published the three first parts [of L’Astrée], as he died before finishing his work. His secretary, Baro, had published the fourth and fifth parts.” (Catalogue de Backer, II, n°644)
“L’Astrée was a tremendous success. La Rochefoucauld, La Fontaine, and other great minds were enthusiastic about this work, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, more than a century later was a declared supporter.” (De Backer)
L’ Astrée, this famous successful novel, shaped the thoughts and habits of the precious salons of the 17th century. Great pastoral and psychological novel in 5 books, the Astree deeply marked the sensitivity of the 17th century.
Code of the perfect Love of which it sums up the laws in 12 articles, L’Astrée is the first important work that was given to us by the sentimental novel.
“The success of the novel was tremendous and its influence deep on the customs and on literature. Boileau liked it, and it was one of La Fontaine’s favorite readings”.
The superb illustration is composed of a frontispiece made by Léonard Gaultier and of three full-page portraits, of L’Astrée and of Urfé by Briot and of Baro by M. Lasne after Ferdinand Helle. Tchemerzine mentions only two of these three portraits.
A beautiful and very pure copy preserved in contemporary overlapping vellum binding.
Provenance: handwritten note in ink on the first blank endpaper Catharina Goris, Anno 1695, 18 Octobre.
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