- France, Anatole. Thaïs. Quinze compositions dont un frontispice en couleurs par Georges Rochegrosse gravées à l’eau-forte par E. Decisy.
Paris, Librairie des Amateurs, A. Ferroud. – A. Ferroud Successeurs, 1909.
4to with 1 frontispiece in colours, (2) ll. of half-title and title, 229 pp., (1) bl.p., (1) l. of table of illustrations. Bound in blue quarter morocco, spine ribbed decorated with water lilies in mosaic morocco, tope edge gilt, untrimmed, original wrappers and spine bound in. Binding signed René Aussourd.
233 x 153 mm.
“A sought-after and highly valued edition, especially on large-paper” (Carteret, IV, p. 171.)
This copy on vélin d’Arches, produced specially, containing the etchings inside the text. It is numbered 944 and bears the publisher’s initials “F.F.”.
First published in the Revue des Deux Mondes in 1899, this novel is finely illustrated in Ferroud’s edition by the painter and illustrator Georges-Antoine Rochegrosse (1859-1938), who notably adorned the works of authors and poets in his circle such as Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo.
Thaïs is illustrated with 15 etchings, one of which is a vibrant frontispiece by its complementary chromatic range of oranges and mauves.
After a monastic exile out of repentance for his licentious youth, Abbé Paphnuce sets out on a mission to save the soul of the young courtesan Thaïs, but this quest will only plunge the Abbé back into distant torments.
Pleasant art deco binding signed by René Aussourd (1884-1966), nephew of Charles Meunier, with fine mosaic patterns of water lilies on the spine.
- France, Anatole. Le Miracle de la Pie.
Paris, Librairie des Amateurs, A. Ferroud. – A. Ferroud Successeurs, 1921.
8vo, 1 frontispiece in colours, (2) ll. of half-title and title, 46 pp., (1) l. of imprint.
Bound in red quarter morocco, spine ribbed decorated with mosaic patterns of flowers, top edge gilt, untrimmed, original wrappers and spine bound in. Binding signed Pinardon.
181 x 119 mm.
A copy on fine tinted vélin d’Arches, with the illustrations in colors inside the text. Numbered 394 with the publishers’ initials “F.F.”.
Published in 1908 within the Contes de Jacques Tournebroche, this short story by Anatole France tells the life of Florent Guillaume, a destitute writer who takes refuge in a bell tower with a magpie named Isabeau. The text is currently illustrated with a set of 16 color compositions, 4 of them full-page, by the painter, illustrator and lithographer Maurice Lalau.
This short story reveals the style of Anatole France, whose “ease, clarity and simplicity” Paul Valéry emphasized. His knowledge of history and skepticism about human nature are reflected in the story of the wretched protagonist.
A fine copy preserved in a binding signed by Pinardon, with a spine finely decorated with mosaic floral patterns.
