Friedrich Schiller ; [signé par le traducteur] Pitre-Chevalier - Romans de Schiller - 1838

This work is a particularly interesting collectible piece for bibliophiles, bearing witness to the literary and journalistic networks of the Romantic period.

This is the collection of Schiller's Romances published in 1838. It gathers several famous narratives and short stories by the German author Friedrich von Schiller, notably: The Visionary (Der Geisterseher), The Generous Loves, The Criminal for Honor Lost, The Game of Fate, and The Duke of Alba.

Pitre Chevalier (born Pierre-Michel-François Chevalier, 1812-1863) was a Breton writer, historian, and journalist. He was notably the editor-in-chief of the famous Musée des familles. His translation of Schiller's proses remained a reference of the time.

The book is dedicated to Baron de Barante (Prosper Brugière, baron de Barante, 1782-1866). It is a highly strategic and respectful choice: Barante was a great diplomat, historian, peer of France, a member of the Académie française, but above all one of the first importers of German Romanticism in France thanks to his own acclaimed translation of Schiller's Dramatic Works.

The recipient of the gift: Mr. Bertin. This is very likely Louis-François Bertin (called Bertin the Elder, 1766-1841) or his son Armand Bertin (1801-1854). The Bertin family ran the powerful Journal des débats, one of the most influential political and literary daily newspapers of the 19th century.
In presenting this copy to “Mr. Bertin,” Pitre Chevalier was making a courteous and crucial promotional gesture. He sought to obtain a favorable review (a “critique”) in the newspaper's pages to ensure the success of his translation.