Sophie Arnould d'après sa correspondance et ses mémoires inédits, par Ed. et J. de Goncourt
Paris: E. Dentu, 1877. Popelin. Second Edition. Small 4to, 10 7/8 x 7 1/2 inches (275 x190 mm), LARGE PAPER edition. vii + 223 + 4. Engraved frontispiece by François Flamenq and floral frames around each page of text by Claudius Popelin. Rubricated title page. A facsimile letter is bound in at page 196. 3/4 green morocco binding with marbled paper, double fillets, 5 raised bands with gilt title and decorations in compartments, marbled endpapers, headbands and tailbands in gold and crimson silk, original silk bookmark ribbon; t.e.g. Corners slightly bumped and spine very slightly rubbed, else fine. Binding tight and square, pages bright and clean throughout.
PRESENTATION COPY to Claudius Popelin (who designed the floral borders in the book), inscribed in ink by Edmond de Goncourt, with an autograph notation at the bottom of the page: "Exemplaire sur papier Whatman."
[Carteret I, 351].
One of the first personal biographies (biographies intimes) written by the Goncourt brothers and composed in 1857. This special edition with elaborate floral frames and a facsimile letter was published in small numbers (unspecified) as stated in on half-title verso "Tirage a petit nombre, plus quelques exemplaires sur papier de chine, Whatman, de Hollande et vélin teinté." This copy is on Whatman paper and printed on large sheets.
As written in the preface of the first edition at the front of the book, the Goncourt brothers bought a fascicle of papers from a dealer not really knowing what they were purchasing, which turned out to be letters, notes, and fragments of an unfinished autobiography of Sophie Arnould (1740 – 1802), a French operatic soprano whose love life was extremely colorful. She was notorious for having as many affairs with women as with men, and was in great demand in Parisian society. Maurice Q. de La Tour painted her portrait and her life was the subject of an opera by Gabriel Pierné in 1927.
Condition: Very good +.
Item number: 1135
Price: $1,250.00
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