A Paris, 1760.
3 volumes 4to of: I/ 1 portrait, (2) ll., xviii pp., (3) ll., 414 pp., 5 full-page engravings; II/ (2) ll., iv pp., 447 pp., 5 full-page engravings; III/ (2) ll., iv pp., 412 pp., 2 full-page engravings.
Full red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the covers, spine ribbed and decorated with gilt fillets and fleurons, lettering pieces in green morocco, inner roll-stamp, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
288 x 213 mm.
The most beautiful illustrated edition of the 18th century of Jean Racine’s Works illustrated with a portrait by Daullé, 3 fleurons on the titles, 12 figures, 13 vignettes and 60 tail-pieces drawn by de Sève and engraved by Aliamet, Baquoy, Chevillet, Flipart, Legrand, Lemire, Lempereur, Sornique and Tardieu.
“Very nice edition” says Cohen, col. 846.
“… his illustration (De Sève), much the most important, is that he drew for the beautiful edition of Racine’s Works in 3 volumes 4to. The large figures are treated in the somewhat theatrical taste, of de Troy and Boucher; but with great ease and as a complete painter. The figure of Britanicus is very dramatic, and that of the Pleaders happily composed. The vignettes and the fleurons are full of invention and movement.”
Baron Roger Portalis. Les Dessinateurs d’illustrations au xviiiè siècle.
« Le propre de l’œuvre de Racine est… d’être parfaite, d’une perfection à la fois profonde et évidente. A quelque degré qu’on s’arrête dans l’intelligence de son œuvre, on a l’idée d’une certaine perfection ; on ne tombe jamais sur une expression incomplète ou qui offense… j’insiste là-dessus, jamais rien qui offense ni même qui étonne ; rien d’étrange ; sa manière comme sa physionomie est d’une beauté heureuse, ouverte sans être banale, d’une de ces beautés incontestables et qui existent pour tous. » Sainte‑Beuve.
Superb copy with large margins bound in contemporary red morocco decorated with English coat of arms affixed in the 19th century bearing the motto “Honi.soit.qui.mal.y.pense”.
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