N.p. [Paris, Quillau], 1718.
Small 8vo [167 x 98 mm] of (7) ll. including (1) l. frontispiece, 164 pp. 29 unnumbered plates out of pagination, of which 13 on double-page.
Red morocco, various gilt borders around the covers with corner fleuron, flat spine finely decorated, decorated edges, inner gilt border, gilt edges, doublures and endpapers of blue tabis. 18th century binding by Derome le jeune with his label.
First issue of the most celebrated French illustrated book printed under the regency of Philippe d’Orleans illustrated with a frontispiece, 28 figures of the regent, 1 vignette of Scotin, 6 ornamented letters.
“A pretty and highly sought-after edition, printed in only 250 copies, called the regent’s edition as it was the Philippe Duc d’Orleans Regent who had it made and had the etchings engraved by Benoit Audran, after the paintings that the Longus novel had inspired him.” (Cohen, Guide de l’amateur de livres à gravures du XVIIIe siècle, 648-649).
“Copies with a beautiful old binding are of a very high price”.
Baron Roger Portalis (Les dessinateurs d’illustrations au XVIIIe siècle) dedicates an extensive study to this book.
In this Greek novel by Longus (late 2nd century AD), the author tells the story of the simple and naive love of Daphnis and Chloe.
The particularity of Longus’ work, compared to other works of the same genre, is to have left the twists and turns in the background, and to have given all the depth to the sentimental adventures of the protagonists.
Daphnis and Chloe have discovered their sexuality in a slow progression, and the novel ends precisely with the completion of the carnal act. The novel celebrates Eros, of course, but also Pan and the Nymphs.
A superb copy in a pure contemporary binding by Derome le Jeune.
“It is to him that the family owes its illustration. Established for himself around 1712, his merit was great, for in the history of bookbinding one cannot find any other example of a workshop that produced such a number of volumes whose elegant, supple and soft body was combined with such varied, original and perfectly executed decoration.” R. Esmerian.
Wide-margined copy (height 167 mm, it exceeds the famous Blumenthal, Meus, Simonson copy which measured only 153 mm).
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