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4to (267 × 185 mm), pp. [iv], xii, 312, [4]. Title vignettes, small illustrations or vignettes to some 50 text pages, 11 vignette borders or headpieces (three of them in colour), and 10 colour plates by Rops, Gervex, Gonzales, Kratké, Lynch and Adrien Moreau. Floral paper wraps (by G. Fraipont) in the original blue paper chemise with broad silk ribbon ties (printed in gilt) and striking decorative paper lining. Minor crease to spine of wrapper, otherwise a fine copy, as issued, of a fragile work often rebound.
First edition of a richly eclectic Uzanne production combining the dark eroticism of Felicièn Rops with a modish Japonisme. Uzanne is here on his favourite territory, offering a fanciful exposition of the social and psychological history of women in France: ‘J’ai voulu dans cet ouvrage envisager l’histoire psychologique de la femme française, depuis la moyen âge jusqu’à l’heure présente...’
This elaborate bibliophilic performance in which paper, illustration and binding combine to create an effect worthy of Huysmans’ Des Esseintes in À Rebours (published in the same year). Felicièn Rops’ illustrations (two of them depicting his mistress, Léontine Duluc) present a charactersitically feverish and decadent eroticism, perfectly in keeping with Uzanne’s preoccupations.
Despite the care with which the book was produced it was a fragile production. As often with Uzanne, the weight of the paper was too much for the delicate paper bindings and copies not placed in bibliophilic bindings rarely survive so well. This is one of the standard copies (there were also around 200 copies on Japon) but is remarkable for the state of the silk chemise, which is frequently lacking.
This elaborate bibliophilic performance in which paper, illustration and binding combine to create an effect worthy of Huysmans’ Des Esseintes in À Rebours (published in the same year). Felicièn Rops’ illustrations (two of them depicting his mistress, Léontine Duluc) present a charactersitically feverish and decadent eroticism, perfectly in keeping with Uzanne’s preoccupations.
Despite the care with which the book was produced it was a fragile production. As often with Uzanne, the weight of the paper was too much for the delicate paper bindings and copies not placed in bibliophilic bindings rarely survive so well. This is one of the standard copies (there were also around 200 copies on Japon) but is remarkable for the state of the silk chemise, which is frequently lacking.
£800.00
