Louis-Élisabeth de La Vergne TRESSAN

New edition, illustrated with a frontispiece and 3 figures by Moreau le jeune engraved by Carrée on strong paper, and dated 1791. This edition was published by Didot in 1791.
Copy with unidentified arms, with three bars charged with three shells, two shells and one shell. The arms appear to have been scraped and are without gold. Collar of the Holy Spirit and president's cap.
Contemporary full bordeaux morocco binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Triple angular fillet with tools in the corners and angular fleurons, arms at the centers of the covers. Upper joint cracked at head and foot. Corners slightly bumped.
Adaptation by the famous late 18th-century medievalist, Tressan, of this medieval romance.

New edition.
Full navy blue calf binding, smooth spine decorated with three gilt cartouches embellished with romantic gilt arabesques, gilt roulettes on headcaps, triple gilt fillet frame with four gilt fleurons on boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt dentelle frame on pastedowns, gilt edges on leading edges, all edges gilt, elegant contemporary romantic binding.
Work illustrated with 3 hors-texte engravings.
Some foxing.
Copy established in a charming contemporary romantic binding.

New illustrated edition with 3 plates (of 4) by Moreau. Handsome edition from the Didot presses printed on laid paper.
Contemporary binding in full red morocco. Smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets, friezes and fleurons. Gilt roll in frame to covers. Gilt roll on leading edges and headcaps. All edges gilt. Spine slightly faded, otherwise a handsome copy.
The Histoire de Gérard de Nevers was written around the middle of the 15th century, and forms the prose rewriting in Burgundian circles of the Roman de la Violette by Gerbert de Montreuil (1227-1229). The Count of Tressan, who had made a specialty of exhuming medieval manuscripts and publishing medieval romances, himself adapted and modernized this version. It had the effect, like other literary works published by Tressan, of a reconsideration of medieval literature, and a renewed interest in the Middle Ages.

The most complete first collected edition published to date, illustrated with a frontispiece and 11 figures.
Contemporary full olive glazed calf bindings. Smooth spines, slightly faded, decorated with gilt tools, gilt friezes at head and foot. Red morocco title and volume labels, gilt roulettes on headcaps. Gilt dentelle frame and fillet on boards. Some corners slightly bumped without consequence, one headcap worn. Occasional light foxing.
Handsome copy in elegant contemporary binding. The Count of Tressan (died in 1783) largely contributed to the rediscovery of medieval literature through his literary adaptations, especially in public taste, thus preparing two major currents: Gothic literature and then Romantic literature with its inveterate taste for the Middle Ages.

First collected edition, illustrated with a frontispiece portrait (engraved by de Launay after Bérel) and 20 figures by Marillier engraved by Delvaux, de Ghendt, Croutelle, Patas, Langlois jeune, de Monchy, de Launay. Volumes 11 and 12 comprise the author's posthumous works and bear volume numbers 1 and 2 on the title page. A third volume of these posthumous works would appear in 1800.
Contemporary full speckled calf. Smooth spine decorated with urn tools and stars; roulettes. Framing frieze on boards. Morocco title and volume labels in black. Headcaps of volumes 1, 4, 5, 8, 11 and 12 worn or partially worn. Foot caps of volumes 1, 2, 4, 6, likewise. Title and volume labels of volume 4 largely missing. Half of the title label of volume 7 is also absent. Headcap of volume 11 partially torn.
The Count of Tressan did much, through his adaptations, for the rehabilitation of the Middle Ages and Renaissance literature (that inherited from the 15th century). It is clear that at the end of the 18th century, these works would have been unreadable to the public. This interest in the Middle Ages would fully emerge with Romanticism, the Empire having brought antiquity back into fashion.
Here is the content of the first 10 volumes, the last two being composed of various works (letters, essays...): vols. 1-2. Free translation of Amadis of Gaul, vols. 1-2 -- vol. 3. Free translation of Amadis of Gaul, vol. 3. Extract from Orlando Innamorato by Matheo-Maria Boyardo, Count of Scandiano -- vols. 4-6. Orlando Furioso, heroic poem by Ariosto. vols. 7-10. Body of extracts from chivalric romances: 7. Preliminary discourse. Tristan of Léonois. Artus of Brittany. Flores and Blanche-Fleur. Cléomades and Claremonde. Romance of the Rose. Pierre of Provence and beautiful Maguelone. 8. The flower of battles. Huon of Bordeaux. Guérin of Montglave. 9. Dom Ursino the Navarin. Little Jehan of Saintré. Gerard of Nevers. 10. Research on the origin of novels invented before the Christian era. History of Rigda and Regner Lodbrog. Zélie, or The ingenue