Le Décaméron
Precious copy Amé de St Didier (armorial ex-libris) and Guy Pellion, one of the most valuable to have appeared on the market in several decades.
One of the two copies we have handled in period morocco leather with the complete libre suite.
5 volumes in-8, red morocco, triple gilt fillet framing the covers, smooth decorated spine, gilt edges. Contemporary morocco binding.
212 x 134 mm.
Boccaccio. The Decameron translated by Antoine Le Mâçon.
London (Paris), 1757-1761.
“One of the most successful illustrated books of the entire 18th century” (Cohen), perfectly suited to Boccaccio’s masterpiece, written between 1350 and 1355, which brings together one hundred tales told over ten days by seven women and three young men.
The exceptional variety of themes, style, and ideas makes The Decameron a unique work in the history of modern literature.
Fine copy on Dutch paper illustrated with 5 frontispieces, 1 portrait, 110 plates, and 97 tail-pieces by Gravelot, Boucher, Cochin, and Eisen, enriched with a frontispiece “Gallant prints from Boccaccio's Tales. In London” and a “charming complete suite of unrestrained illustrations.”
Cohen 158-159-160.
“Gravelot drew the entire set of illustrations with remarkable verve and talent” (R. Portalis).
“The drawings in this lovely book, witty and delicately shaded with bistre, are among his best; one feels that these cheerful themes suited him; as for the group of children scattered among the tail-pieces, they are all graceful, and he succeeded in making this work—thanks to its illustrations—a model of its kind, which enjoyed great success and quickly spread in France, England, and Italy.
But it was fashionable at the time, for a book in which erotic adventures play such a major role, to add more explicit compositions called unrestrained illustrations, where the amorous action is unveiled. Gravelot was asked to complete his beautiful set of illustrations with a libertine series, and, although this kind of subject was rather unappealing to his pencil—so skillful at allusions and at letting the reader imagine what need not be shown—he nevertheless complied.
The unrestrained illustrations correspond to the following tales, according to the French titles: The Shared Sin. – Saint Julien’s Prayer. – The Unexpected Wedding. – The King of Garbe’s Fiancée. – The Old Men’s Calendar. – The Convent Gardener. – The Amorous Confession. – The Magnificent. – At Night, All Cats Are Grey. – The Pilgrim. – The Jealous Husband. – The Devil in Hell. – The Bleeding Heart. – The Nightingale. – The Comforted Husband. – The Adulterous Wife. – The Vat. – Dame Agnès’ Gossip. – The Psalter. – Compère Pierre’s Mare.
“One must distinguish between these plates printed on fine paper and a later edition printed on thinner paper. There also exists a very well-made copy where the subjects are reversed and have a border adorned with foliage.” (Cohen).
“Gravelot drew the entire set of illustrations with remarkable verve and talent.” (R. Portalis).
The unrestrained illustrations are here on fine paper.
Fine copy from the libraries of Amé de St Didierwith armorial bookplate and Guy Pellion (bookplate).
