Georges de Scudéry - Alaric - 1654

THE FALL OF ROME AND THE TRIUMPH OF ALARIC: A SPECTACULAR ILLUSTRATED FIRST EDITION
Original first edition of Georges de Scudéry's monumental epic poem, published in Paris in 1654.
A baroque work dedicated to Christina of Sweden, celebrating the conquest of Rome by the Visigothic king Alaric. Imposing folio volume, enriched by magnificent copper engravings by François Chauveau.
Suggestive antique leather binding with marbled calfskin, spine with raised bands and rich gilded decorations. An extraordinary testimony to the art of the French book in the seventeenth century, spanning history, literature, and power.

ABSTRACT
Original first edition of one of the most ambitious heroic poems of French Baroque literature, dedicated to Queen Christina of Sweden. The work celebrates the exploits of Alaric, king of the Visigoths, and the conquest of Rome in 410 A.D., transforming one of the dramatic episodes of late antiquity into a grand epic narrative in which war, love, heroism, religion, and the fate of empires intertwine. Composed in ten books and about eleven thousand Alexandrian verses, the poem constitutes an important expression of seventeenth-century French epic. The prestigious folio edition stands out for its exceptional pictorial apparatus, entrusted to the famous engraver François Chauveau, author of spectacular allegorical and narrative compositions that translate the poem’s most significant scenes into images. The photographed copy preserves a magnificent allegorical title page, the grand original title page, and full-page engravings of notable quality, together with a refined antique marbled leather binding.

WHY TO BUY
An important seventeenth-century first edition that gathers three areas of particular collectible interest: French Baroque literature, the history of Rome’s downfall, and the grand seventeenth-century book illustration. The monumental format and the quality of the engravings give the work a strong aesthetic impact, especially evident in battle scenes, classical architectures, and allegorical compositions. François Chauveau’s illustrations are a centerpiece, as the artist was one of the major protagonists of French engraving in the Louis XIV era. The dedication to Christina of Sweden adds a significant link with the culture of European courts and with one of the most fascinating queens of the seventeenth century. Of particular interest in the copy is also the presence of an ancient handwritten inscription traceable, at least in the legible part, to the name Otto von Schwerin, a possible testimony of aristocratic German provenance that deserves further investigation. The marbled leather binding, the decorated spine, and the broad margins complement the qualities of a volume intended for discerning collectors of illustrated books, French literature, and European history.

MARKET VALUE
The 1654 original folio edition is a sought-after work mainly for its prestigious iconographic apparatus. Market values show significant variation depending on the completeness of the engravings, condition, and binding quality. For the copy shown here, a rough commercial range of 850–1,200 euros seems reasonable. Documented aristocratic provenance and good overall condition can support a higher asking price.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Ancient full brown marbled leather binding, with raised spine, compartments ornamented with gilded bands, and title on a label. The cover shows signs of wear and rubbing, small abrasions and traces of time. Allegorical frontispiece with victorious Alaric, a grand narrative engraving, and the typographic title page with the Augustin Courbé imprint. Inside there are some browning, normal foxing, and signs of use. On the rear of the title page are ancient handwritten annotations and, beneath the allegorical engraving, a signature. In old books with a multigenerational history, some imperfections may be present and not always noted in the description. This listing contains AI Visualizations. Refer to the original photographs to verify the object’s actual condition. The images are an integral part of the description. Pp. (2); 50nn; 426; 12nn; 2nn.

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Georges de Scudéry.
Alaric, ou Rome vaincue.
À Paris, chez Augustin Courbé, 1654.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The publication of Alaric, ou Rome vaincue situates itself in the great era of French epic of the Seicento, when literature, ancient history, and the celebration of monarchic power were deeply intertwined. The sack of Rome in 410 A.D., led by the Visigothic king Alaric, represented a highly symbolic episode: the vulnerability of the ancient imperial capital and the sunset of a political order that had dominated the Mediterranean for centuries. Scudéry reworks this historical event through the models of classical epic, especially Virgil and Tasso, combining military exploits, romantic sentiments, moral allegory, and supernatural interventions. The protagonist is transformed into a hero of almost mythic dimensions, while the clash between Goths and Romans becomes a reflection on glory, fortune, and the fate of great powers. The work was dedicated to Christina of Sweden, renowned for her intellectual culture and for the support she afforded to artists, philosophers, and writers. This dedication constitutes a significant document of cultural and diplomatic relations between France and the European courts. The volume’s importance also lies in its figurative apparatus: Chauveau’s engravings constitute an exceptional example of the visual translation of heroic poetry, with theatrical compositions, monumental architectures, dynamic figures, and allegories that reflect the French Baroque taste.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Georges de Scudéry (1601–1667) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, and soldier, among the most representative figures of the literary life of the Grand Siècle. Born in Le Havre, he initially pursued a military career before dedicating himself to letters. Brother of the famous writer Madeleine de Scudéry, he was deeply involved in the culture of Parisian salons and literary debates of his time. A prolific author, he ventured into tragedy, comedy, novel, and heroic poetry, distinguished by a rich and magniloquent style that conformed to the aesthetics of French Baroque. He was involved in the famous literary controversies around Pierre Corneille and held important positions, including governor of the fortress of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde in Marseille. In 1650 he was elected a member of the Académie française. Alaric, ou Rome vaincue, published in 1654, represents one of his most ambitious poetic projects and testifies to the Seicento French writers’ aspiration to create a national epic capable of rivaling the great models of antiquity.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The first edition of Alaric, ou Rome vaincue appeared in Paris in 1654 at Augustin Courbé, one of the principal French publishers of the seventeenth century, particularly active in publishing prestigious literary works. The original edition was conceived as a representational, large-format book, with an important iconographic program intended to accompany the ten books of the poem. Chauveau created the engraved compositions, helping to transform the work into one of the significant examples of French illustrated books of the baroque era. The first edition was followed by other printings and by smaller-format editions, including a Parisian edition of 1655 and a subsequent Dutch edition of 1685. The publishing success testifies to the poem’s notoriety within the seventeenth-century literary context. The different editions present different material and iconographic characteristics, making it particularly important to distinguish the 1654 folio original from later reprints. The original print run is not documented with certainty, and thus its exact number cannot be attributed. The preservation of copies in public and private collections, as well as the presence of loose engravings in museums, attest to the historical and artistic recognition of the work.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Tchemerzine, Bibliographie d'éditions originales et rares d'auteurs français des XVe, XVIe, XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, vol. V, pp. 776–779, with reference to the first edition of the poem and to later impressions. Lucien Scheler, bibliographic clarifications relating to Chauveau’s collations and engravings included in the pagination. Robert-Arnauld Weigert, Inventaire du fonds français, graveurs du XVIIe siècle, Bibliothèque nationale de France, vol. II, p. 452, n. 530, for François Chauveau’s engraved work. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, record of Georges de Scudéry’s portrait engraved by Robert Nanteuil for the 1654 edition. Ministère de la Culture, Base Joconde, records of François Chauveau’s engravings for Alaric, ou Rome vaincue. Christie’s, François Chauveau, The Fall of Rome, preparatory drawing for the illustration of the tenth book of the 1654 edition. Maison Lhomme, sale 46, lot 27, copy of the first edition of 1654 sold for 800 euros. Schilb Antiquarian, commercial sheet of a copy of the 1654 Paris first edition, with collation and description of the illustration program.