Madame Bovary. Moeurs de province.

£15,000 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books · No longer available

a unique copy with original watercolours A unique example extra-illustrated by Charles Huard with two copper plates and numerous original drawings by multiple artists. A large collection from the publisher's Javal and Bordeaux of illustrations for Flaubert's novel. Flaubert's first published novel. 'Madame Bovary, the story of the adulteries and suicide of a doctor's wife in provincial Normandy, is notable for its rigorous psychological development, and manifests the qualities that mark all his mature work: authenticity of detail, an impersonal narrative method, a precise and harmonious style. Certain passages having been judged to be offensive to public morals, Flaubert, his publisher, and his printer were tried but acquitted' (Drabble). Unique extra-illustrated example, limited edition printed hors-commerce on japon imperial for Monsieur Dumouchel, from a total edition of 525; 3 vols; 4to; illustrated with 25 monochrome etchings (of which 22 are hors-texte by Charles Huard and with two original copper plates by Huard, colour drawings throughout the text by Theodore van Elsen, signed and dated 1933, also loose are 9 wash drawings and 4 watercolours signed by Huard and a set of prospectus; vol II contains a suite of 30 colour drawings to illustrate the work, loose in an illustrated wrapper by van Elsen, with each drawing with tissue guards and mounted on blue paper, a suite of 20 original watercolours also to illustrate the work signed and captioned in pencil by Louis Ibels l

• Binding: Hardcover

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