Oeuvres

Statement of new edition, considerably expanded. It is illustrated with a portrait by Monet as frontispiece to volume I and with 18 figures by Meon and Monnet engraved by Thérèse Martinet. Volume 1, 6 figures including the portrait, and 5 frontispieces for the theatrical pieces. In volume 2, 13 figures, 3 for the theatrical pieces as frontispieces, and 10 for each canto of La Dunciade. Edition beautifully produced by Didot, on Holland paper.
Contemporary full marbled brown calf binding, probably Directoire period. Spine with raised bands decorated with 4 different tools including an urn tool, the tools within decorated compartments. Roll tooling at head and tail. Red morocco title label with roll tooling, red morocco volume label with black pastille mosaic and gilt circle. Triple thick gilt fillet border. Marbled edges. 5 corners bumped, 3 of them on volume 2. Some lacks to edges.
Very handsome set, with remarkably fresh paper (apart from some rare foxing on verso of engravings or pale marks in margins of certain engravings).
Although one could not honestly qualify Palissot's literary production as important, he was undoubtedly a major figure in the literary life of his era; thus the various pieces, notes, remarks, letters that frame each comedy (the edition is very rich in this respect) are remarkable regarding literary life in the second half of the 18th century, notably concerning the famous quarrel of the philosophers which Palissot initiated, attacking them outrageously in his eponymous play (undoubtedly poorly conceived from a dramaturgical point of view, but excellent in its writing, each mockery hitting its mark).
Besides the theater and the poem La Dunciade, the volumes contain the Mémoires littéraires (dictionary of literary figures), correspondence with Voltaire (he was his protégé at the beginning of his career), critiques by his contemporaries (Freron, Piron, Duclos...). One will discover with pleasure the critiques by his contemporaries of his own plays. Palissot was undoubtedly a social climber, with incredible talent for polemic and mockery, and equally for flattery; this edition of his works retains the greatest interest for the world of Letters in the second part of the 18th century.