Œuvres
The 17th-century editions of the Works of Jean Racine in contemporary armorial bindings are very rare and sought after.
2 volumes in-12, brown calf, blind-tooled fillet around the covers, gilt armorial bearings at the center, spine with raised bands richly decorated, marbled edges. Armorial binding of the period.
126 x 70 mm.
Racine, Jean. Works. Brussels, Georges de Backer, 1700.
The rarest 17th-century edition of the Works of Jean Racine, unknown to Brunet and Deschamps and never found by A. J. Guibert, the bibliographer of Racine's 17th-century works, who writes: “This edition has continuous pagination. The title pages bear the Quaerendo mark and the engravings are by Harrewyn (Tchemerzine, page 360). We were unable to locate this edition which is of great rarity” (A.J. Guibert, p. 199).
As for Tchemerzine, he was unable to collate it.
It contains twelve plays distributed as follows: Volume I: La Thébaïde – Alexandre le Grand – Andromaque – Britannicus – Les Plaideurs – Athalie; Volume II: Bérénice – Bajazet – Mithridate – Iphigénie – Phèdre et Hippolyte – Esther.
“With Racine, everything is feeling; he knew how to make each one speak for himself, and in this he is truly unique among the dramatic authors of his nation” (Rousseau).
Léonor-Marie du Maine, Count of Bourg, Baron of Espinasse and Changy, son of Philippe, commander of Cardinal Mazarin's foreign light cavalry, and of Léonore de Damas de Thianges, was born on September 14, 1655. He entered as a page at the Grande Ecurie in 1671; inspector of cavalry and brigadier of the armies in 1690, maréchal de camp in 1693, Knight of Saint Louis in February 1694, one of the four directors of cavalry the same year, lieutenant general in 1702, he was appointed governor of Bapaume in August 1706, became knight of the Holy Spirit in September 1709 and marshal of France in February 1724. He was given the government of Upper and Lower Alsace in 1730, with general command of this province, and the government of Belfort. Marshal du Bourg died at Strasbourg on January 15, 1739, in his 84th year, dean of the Marshals of France.
17th-century editions of Jean Racine’s Works in contemporary armorial binding are very rare and sought after.
