Les fiancés
“Perhaps the most famous Italian work of fiction” (PMM).
“Goethe was making a huge deal out of it and he was right. Only very few books are as powerful as this one” (Gobineau).
Rare first French edition of this masterpiece of Italian literature and of the first modern Italian novel.
An attractive copy preserved in publisher’s wrappers.
5 volumes 16mo, publisher’s wrappers.
120 x 82 mm.
Manzoni, Alessandro. Les fiancés, histoire milanaise du dix-septième siècle. Traduit de l’italien par M.G.
Paris, Dauthereau, 1828.
Rare first French edition of this masterpiece of Italian literature.
Brunet, III, 1388. Graesse, IV, 378.
This translation is from Gosselin ; the same year were published 2 French translations : this one and another one by Rey-Dussueil.
This masterpiece of Italian Romanesque literature, considered by many to be the finest work of Italian literature after Dante, tells the love story of Lucia Mondella and Renzo Tramaglino, set in a Lombardy torn by war and plague. This magnificent and enchanting historical novel reveals superb paintings of an Italy in crisis and Manzoni describes with exceptional intelligence the plague epidemic seizing Milan.
“One knows the immense popularity of this novel, not only in Italy, but throughout Europe. Recommended by our best critics and by Goethe himself (…) this masterpiece was Manzoni’s last great creation. He had poured in it all his poetry, all his art, all his faith, all his soul” (Le Correspondant).
For Umberto Eco, Les Fiancés is the archetype of the historical novel : « Everything Renzo, Lucia or Fra Cristoforo do say more and with an unparalleled clarity on Italy at the time than all history books ».
“Les Fiancés are a novel of the night, of anguish lightened by the author’s irony and humor. He excels in the art of portraits, dialogues, historical frescoes” (Dictionnaire des œuvres).
Through this masterpiece, Manzoni takes part in the great turning point of the modern novel; his work is considered as one of the major writings of Italian literature, and as the most representative work of Risorgimento and Italian romanticism.
An attractive copy preserved in publishers’ wrappers.
