François Rabelais / Gustave Doré - Oeuvres de François Rabelais. Texte collationné sur les éditions originales avec une vie de - 1880

Excellent undated print of the famous illustrated edition of Rabelais's work by Gustave Doré. The original, featuring the same illustrations (portrait and 725 wood engravings), was published at the same address in 1873.

Very beautiful copy preserved in the publisher's large in-quarto bindings, with a red percaline cover, a smooth spine decorated with a large gold figure bearing the title and gold lace at the head and tail, covers adorned with a large gold plaque depicting the various characters from the works surrounding the title (Plaque de Souze), framed in black, with the second cover decorated with a black medallion.

In good overall condition, solid bindings. A large restoration mark on the back of volume I, pierced corners, soft heads, three small holes on the canvas. Light signs of handling. Hinges restored. Some pages misaligned. Interior fresh and clean, without foxing.

Leblanc: "Doré truly evoked and reconstructed the entire Middle Ages; he borrowed his imagination and philosophy from it," and Carteret: "This popular work is highly sought after for the powerful compositions of Gustave Doré." Brivois adds: "Of all the illustrations made for Rabelais, G. Doré's is one of the most successful." Leblanc, 285. Carteret III, 510. Vicaire VI, 925. Brivois 346.

Author: François Rabelais / Gustave Doré
Title: Works of Rabelais. Collation of texts based on the original editions, with a biography of the author, notes, and a glossary by Louis Moland.
EDITOR: Paris: GARNIER, no date, (c. 1880)
2 volumes, gross. in4 (26 x 32.5 cm) XLVII-584 & 632 pages, complete in two volumes

Subject: François Rabelais / Gustave Doré 726 Wood engravings 2/2 folio 1880 Cardboard binding