Les Œuvres

2 works bound in 1 volume, 16mo.
Full red morocco, double frame of blind-ruled fillets with leafy garland in the center, spine with raised bands and decoration, double gilt fillet on the edges, blue morocco doublure heightened with a gilt roll, double gilt fillet on the edges, gilt edges over marbling. Binding signed Trautz-Bauzonnet.

113 x 74 mm.

Villon, François. The Works of François Villon of Paris, reviewed and restored in their entirety by Clément Marot, valet de chambre to the King. Marot's couplet: Few Villons in good knowledge, too many Villons for deception.
Sold in Paris, on rue Saint Jacques at the sign of the Elephant, at François Renault's, n.d. (1540).
16mo, 55 leaves, (1) blank leaf, complete.

Followed by:
Marot, Clément. The Canticles of Peace by Clément Marot. Together with a Dialogue & the New Year's gifts made by him.
16mo, 28 leaves.
Paris, Jehan Bignon, 1540.

Very precious copy bringing together the extremely rare edition of Villon's Works edited by Marot and the Canticles of the poet.
Sturm, Villon, no. 30; Tchemerzine, IV, 491 and V, 978; Brunet, V, 1249;

Marot, Clément (1496-1544).

Second original edition enlarged with the “Canticles of Peace” by Clément Marot, extracted from his works printed by Jehan Bignon in Paris, in 1540.

“Very rare edition” (Tchémerzine).

The original edition of the Canticles of Peace was published the previous year, in 1539, by Estienne Roffet; composed of only 10 leaves, it is, according to Tchémerzine, extremely rare.

“The only copy known, he says, is at the Bibliothèque Nationale.”

This present second, enlarged edition consists of 56 pages. It contains the following pieces:
- Ode to the Queen of Hungary who came to France
- Canticle by Clément Marot on the Emperor's Entry into Paris
- The Queen's Canticle on the King's illness and recovery by “Narot” (sic)
- New very joyful Dialogue
- Marot's Valet against Sagon
- Letter to Sagonet, at the huterie
- Marot to the Emperor
- The New Year's Gifts of Marot to the Ladies of the Court.

“At the beginning of 1540 appeared his witty 'New Year's Gifts to the Ladies of the Court' and, at Roffet, his 'Canticles of Peace,' a small work in which he assembled poems celebrating in a lyrical fashion important political events. More than ever, the engaged dimension of his poetry is revealed, his determination, by all possible means, to serve the cause of God and the cause of peace. More than ever, the poet of God rivals within him the poet of the king” (Gérard Defaux).

Villon, François (1431-1463).

Precious and beautiful edition of the works of François Villon printed in Paris by Fr. Regnault in 1540. It is so rare that Tchémerzine and Brunet each cite only one copy, that of the Duke de La Vallière, giving an incorrect collation. They mention 55 leaves while in reality this edition contains 8 and 55 leaves.

It was at the request of François I that Clément Marot undertook to do justice to the major work of François Villon, to restore for him its original order and flavor.

Thus undertaking a rereading of Villon's verses, Marot composed the structure of the ordered edition which served as a model for the 1540 edition.

The 1540 edition made the seminal and affecting work of the first great modern French poet accessible.

“Villon is the first modern poet: the first in whom one recognizes the soul of the astonishing poet, as France conceived him, as Paris created him, as he has remained, and as he was destined to be since Master François... Villon's emotions are violent and profound” (André Suarès).

“At the time when Villon appeared, says M. A. de Montaiglon, French literature was undergoing a period of transformation; from general poetry it was moving toward personal poetry; his contemporaries, unconsciously subject to this literary phase, tried for individuality with more effort than success; Villon achieved it at the very first blow; his strength lies there, and his value is increased by the interest his works offer in this respect. It is so striking that it has been recognized by all, and the success that greeted him did not stop. François I honored him by having his poems published by Clément Marot, who overwhelmed him with praise.”

Let us recall for the record that the works of Villon printed by Galliot du Pré in 1532, bound by the same Trautz-Bauzonnet, were reasonably auctioned for €113,744 in Paris on December 11, 2015.

Very precious copy bringing together two great literary works of the Renaissance by François Villon and Clément Marot, sumptuously bound by Trautz-Bauzonnet around 1860 in red morocco lined with blue morocco.

Provenance: from the prestigious libraries of John Whipple Frothingham and Robert Hoe, with bookplates.