Alessandro MANZONI

First French edition, in the translation by Antoine de Latour.
Armorial copy of Baron Pavée de Vandeuvre, with his motto: Ardeo persevero spero.
Contemporary full glazed cherry red calf binding signed by Bourlier at the top of the first endpaper. Spine with raised bands decorated with series of fillets. Triple blind fillet frame on boards. Interior blind frieze. Marbled edges matching the endpapers. Some scattered foxing. Some leaves browned.
Very handsome copy in a sober and beautiful binding.
The work contains 2 tragedies: Le comte de Carmagnola and Adelghis (Adelchi), a letter from Manzoni on the unity of time in tragedy, a historical discourse on the origin of the Lombards in Italy. Various poems including an ode on the death of Napoleon (Manzoni was present in Paris during the 1811 attempt on Napoleon's life). A pillar of Italian culture, and considered one of the great classics after Dante, Manzoni is today unknown or nearly so in France, although he was celebrated in his time in our country as a genius. He is the most important Italian Romantic author, and contributed greatly to forging an Italian national identity.

First edition of the French translation established by Abbé Delacouture.
Spine and boards marginally sunned, minor rubbing marks without gravity to the first cover, some foxing mostly marginal.
Rare.