Item Details
The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane [Erotic Foredge Painting] [Complete in Two Volumes].
London: J.J. Dubochet, 1836. First Edition Thus/Unique. Full Vellum. A lovely example of this most picaresque of picaresque novels, influential since publication, referenced by everyone from Swift to Dostoevsky to Sacher-Masoch and translated repeatedly from French to Spanish to English and back again. Scholarly thought lays its original authorship at the feet of Alain-Rene Lesage, although there are compelling arguments that suggest its original author might have been Spanish. A richly bawdy bit of social observation that laid the ground work for many staples of the genre; wicked robbers, hypocritical clergy, wise and cunning servants and the occasional dim witted nobleman. This particular copy is rendered transcendent by the addition of an erotic fore-edge painting to each volume. Five panels in the style of Rowlandson (volume I in fact depicting scenes from his “Jugglers” cartoon) featuring Reubenesque beauties in ringlets and not much else accompanied by a number of portly, red faced chaps in a state of either advanced inebriation or visible excitement. Beautifully executed, and in lovely condition. Near Fine. Minor edge wear, light toning to vellum, else tight and clean; internally clean, some light scattered spotting and some light thumbing. Bound in full vellum gilt with black title labels, lavish gilt decoration to spines and wide gilded borders to boards, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. 8vo. 486pp, 478pp. Item #8790
Price: $5,000.00