La Puce de Madame Des Roches; ou Jeux poétiques composés aux grands jours de Poitiers , l'an MDLXXIX , par Catherine des Roches
Paris: Les Bibliophiles du Palais, 1936. Jean-Émile Laboureur (1877–1943). Limited Edition. 8vo in unbound folded sheet form, 9 x 6 inches (228 x 152 mm); 66, (16) pp. Printed in black and red on Rives wove paper. 16 etchings by Jean-Émile Laboureur (1877–1943), including the cover, 5 titles, 5 large chapter heads, 3 tailpieces; tissue guards. The signatures are loose, some unopened, and contained in a cream paper cover with title and etching, with the original glassine overcover intact. Chemise with vellum spine and red paper-covered boards, gilt title; housed in a red board slipcase which is bumped and top detached. Light toning on the cover, interiors in perfect condition.
Copy 176, specially printed for Monsieur Agostino Soldati as stated on the individual limitation page, out of an edition of 200 numbered I–XX and 1–180.
[Carteret, vol. IV, 138; BNF33558720].
An exquisitely-printed and finely-illustrated series of plucky poems dedicated to the FLEA by four poets of the 16th century who belonged to the literary circle based in Poitiers that revolved around Catherine Des Roches and her mother Madeleine. The circle is most well known for this collection of gallant verse (in French, Italian, Latin and Greek) entitled La Puce de Madame Des Roches ("The Flea of Madame Des Roches"), first published 1583, in which the poets, inspired by an original poem by Etienne Pasquier, wrote on the theme of a flea upon Catherine's throat. The theme becomes the trigger for this series of amusing and somewhat ribald drawings by Jean-Émile Laboureur (1877–1943) who represents the flea, a mere ink dot in his etchings, as it appears on various naked parts of Madame's body.
"(Laboureur) began to study nature close up, first in the form of still life and later through careful examination of insects, land animals, and sea creatures. (His) sympathies were with the insects, as in another book about bugs, La Puce de Madame des Roches from 1935. Here, a flea is the protagonist, sometimes seen as a dot of ink on a voluptuous thigh or breast, most deliciously as a voyeur watching a woman undress for bed, and ultimately as an entomological specimen pinned to a wall. " Raftery, Andrew. On Jean-Émile Laboureur: Observations of an Engraver. New York: C.G. Boerner, 2018.
Les Bibliophiles du Palais was a society made up of members of the Council of State, senior magistrates, lawyers, solicitors, notaries,and forensic doctors. It was established in 1924 and was made up of a leadership committee and a technical commission. Among them bibliophile and art critic Paul Istel was a leading figure. They chose from a diverse array of authors from Aristophnes to Colette, from Montesquieu to Verlaine and published books in editions of 200 copies. [Carteret, L. Le trésor du bibliophile romantique et moderne, 1801-1875; Vol. 2, pp. 229-230.].
Condition: Near fine.
Item number: 1450
Price: $600.00
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