"Behind the scenes
Of life's vastness, in the abyss' darkest corner
I see distinctly bizarre worlds,
And ecstatic victim of my own clairvoyance,
I drag along with me, serpents that bite my shoes.
And it's since that time that, like the prophets,
I love so tenderly the desert and the sea;
That I laugh at funerals and weep at festivals
And find a pleasant taste in the most bitter wine
[…]
But the Voice consoles me and it says: "Keep your dreams;
Wise men do not have such beautiful ones as fools!""
(Baudelaire, La Voix, in Nouvelles Fleurs du mal)
[Translation by William Aggeler]
Those for whom art and literature are not meant to champion a tame form of ‘positive thinking’ will surely find themselves at home amidst this Baudelairean blossoming, which frames our selection of dark masterpieces.
First illustrated edition with 3 title vignettes and 3 figures by Eisen in volume I (as well as 3 pages of engraved music) plus 3 tailpieces and 1 figure by Marillier, 2 by Barbier and 3 title vignettes by Marillier in volume II, plus 3 tailpieces. All engraved by Fessard, Longueil, Née, Delaunay and Halbou. Very fine illustration, very elegant.
Contemporary full calf binding with scale pattern. Spine with raised bands decorated. Red morocco title labels, and green morocco volume labels. Triple-ruled frame on boards. Edges gilt. Small lack to upper joint at head of volume I. Signs of rubbing. Pale scattered foxing. One lack to margin of p. 479. The binder has inverted the volume number
First edition.
Bound in red half Russia with corners, spine with four raised bands gilt-ruled and decorated with double gilt panels, date in gilt at foot within a compartment, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, rare wrappers and spine preserved, top edge gilt, uncut, binding signed by Bernasconi.
The catalogue leaf of Victor Hugo’s works is present. A few folding creases to some leaves.
Mounted opposite the definitive version printed on p. 223 is a precious autograph poem by Victor Hugo, entitled “La pauvre
First edition, an advance (service de presse) copy.
Handsome, fine autograph inscription from Maurice Blanchot to Gaston Gallimard on ffep: "On ne s'arrête plus aux tables des heureux, puisqu'on est mort. (Charles Cros) / A Gaston Gallimard, ce livre destiné à écarter tout lecteur [One doesn’t stop any more at the table of the joyous, for one is dead. (Charles Cros) / To Gaston Gallimard, this book destined to drive away every reader]."
Two repaired tears to head of spine (slightly sunned), one tiny scratch to head of upper cover, paper yellowed at edges of some pages as usual, ffep repaired with small lack at foot.
