Signed books and manuscripts by the author of Green Wheat, Claudine, Sido, La Chatte, The Blue Lantern...
From Gutenberg to Robespierre, explore the golden ages of the book: incunabula, humanist editions, classical authors, Enlightenment philosophers, revolutionary works. A selection of books printed between 1450 and 1789, in first editions and fine period bindings.
Despite Gutenberg's genius invention, manuscripts will never be erased by the printed word, and solid moveable types are evenly matched by fragile penned letters. Hasty or diligent writing, spidery scrawls or sign of the times.
They are called deluxe papers, limited editions, tirages de têtes or simply first editions. They were printed in small numbers on special paper and carefully preserved, from the very beginning, by the first readers and admirers of these literary geniuses. These copies are the origin of the work and its legacy.
Au Phare, à l'Obus, aux Deux Eléphants, au Globe Doré... These famous Jules Verne elaborately decorated cloths are the finest publisher's bindings of the 19th century. Discover the extraordinary journey of the Editions Hetzel.
Antique art books, rare monographs, first exhibition catalogues, bold aesthetic manifestos, or scathing artistic critiques—to each crafts their own narrative.