Les Œuvres

Very attractive copy preserved in its contemporary ivory vellum.

16mo of 256 pp. Ivory vellum, marbled edges. Contemporary binding.

116 x 74 mm.

Coquillart, Guillaume. The Works of Mr. Guillaume Coquillart, in his lifetime official of Reims. Newly revised & corrected.Lyon, Benoist Rigaud, 1579.

“The rarest edition of Coquillart’s Works published in the 16th century. It is the last one publishedin the 16th century. Mr. Brunet merely mentioned it, without having seen it” (Catalogue A. Firmin-Didot).Tchemerzine, II, 519; Baudrier, III, 351; Brunet, II, 267; Catalogue A. Firmin-Didot, no.167; Bulletin du bibliophile, no.1428; J. Gay, p.98.

“A good and rare edition, undoubtedly based on that of G. du Pré” (Tchemerzine).

“Rare edition” (Bulletin du bibliophile).

The works of Coquillart contain: Les Droitz nouveaux; Le Playdoyer de Coquillart d’entre la Simple & la Rusée, L’enqueste d’entre la Simple et la Rusée, Le blason des armes, & des dames, Le Monologue de la botte de foin, Le Monologue du Puys, Le monologue des perrucques…

“The works of Coquillart are rarely found in a modern library. Of several of the published editions, only a single known copy remains. When these relics of old typography appear again on the horizon, bibliophiles compete for them and their prices reach fabulous heights.Lyon, that cradle of letters in the 15th and 16th centuries, that city where the printing press shone so brightly, also wanted to publish a Coquillart. The Manuel du libraire cites a 16mo edition given by Benoist Rigaud in Lyon in 1579. We have not been able to consult it” (Les Œuvres de Guillaume Coquillart, 1847, Vol. II). “Guillaume Coquillart embroiders with very uninhibited verve and thus gives us a tableau of bourgeois and gallant life of his time, rich in sharply drawn caricatures. Coquillart clearly imitated Villon and adopted the most outward features of his style.”

An important comic author in his youth, Guillaume Coquillart died in 1510, a considerable and respected figure of Reims. Even his theatrical work seems to have added to his authority. The work of Guillaume Coquillart earned its author renown among the public and writers. Thus, he is cited by Clément Marot alongside Villon, Jean Molinet, and Jean Le Maire. Guillaume Coquillart descended from a family versed in law, involved in municipal affairs, which included, with his father, a translator and occasional poet. He was born around 1452. In 1477, he graduated as bachelor of canon law in Paris. It is during these student years that the greater part of his work should be placed, especially comic theater. The Plaidoié and the Enqueste d’entre la Simple et la Rusee are the two parts of the same parodic trial, the subject of which is a young man, the Mignon, fought over by two women. These two plays were written for the carnival of 1478 and 1479. In the same vein are the Droitz nouveaulx (1480). No longer a dramatic text, but entertainment. Using a risqué code, the author solves cases sometimes close to those in Martial d’Auvergne’s Arrêts d’amour. At the same time (around 1480) belongs the Monologue Coquillard or de la botte de foin. This time, there is no trial and no legal-inspired comedy. A young, boastful and elegant lover comes to the stage to tell of his disappointment: the husband of his mistress returns unexpectedly, and he has to spend the night in the attic, hidden under a hay bale. He is considered the inventor of the theatrical monologue.

Precious and beautiful copy preserved in its period ivory vellum binding.The great French poets of the Renaissance preserved in their period binding are masterpieces of high bibliophily.

Our research has only allowed us to locate 4 copies in International public institutions: BM Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, and Chantilly.

Appears to be lacking in the BnF.