P. J. Stahl & Grandville - Vie privée et publique des animaux - 1868

A fascinating illustrated edition of this satirical and literary work that uses anthropomorphic animals to represent and critique human society of the 19th century -

The book consists of a series of tales, fables and scenes in which different animals embody social types, professions or human behaviors, which allows the authors to draw an ironic and sometimes biting portrait of the mores, institutions and foibles of society -

Through these stories, the animals live in a world organized like that of humans, with families, professions, administrations and social relations that reflect the structures of political and private life -

The narratives describe everyday life situations, social ambitions, rivalries, intrigues and hypocrisies, showing how human characters manifest themselves through these animal figures -

The work criticizes in particular vanity, opportunism, corruption, social pretensions and bourgeois conventions, while revealing the contradictions and absurdities of contemporary society -

P. J. Stahl & Grandville - Vie privée et publique des animaux - 1868 - J. Hetzel -
[iv] + 636 Pages.

Good binding condition, the volume in its original half-chagrin binding, percaline boards, wear from use, a few minor defects on the cover, gilded edges, spine with finely ornamented nerves, gilded lettering, cold-stamped borders framing the boards -

Good interior condition, rare foxing, no damage to the text or engravings, complete edition, revised and enlarged, illustrated with numerous wood vignettes in text and out of text, including a frontispiece engraved after Grandville, complete interior, no pages missing, marbled endpapers in good condition, a pleasant copy -

Delivery service assured within a few days –