André Chénier - Œuvres anciennes et posthumes - Édition en partie originale - 2 volumes - - 1826-1826

A handsome set of two volumes bringing together the early and posthumous works of the poet André Chénier (1762–1794), a major figure in eighteenth-century French poetry, who was guillotined during the French Revolution.

A collected edition, partly first edition, including texts published for the first time in this 1826 edition.

Details of the two volumes:

Volume I – Early Works of André Chénier

Revised, corrected, and arranged by D. Ch. Robert.

A collection of literary, political, and historical texts, including essays, writings on the French Revolution, letters, and reflections on the society of his time.

Pagination: 348 pages.

Volume II – Posthumous Works of André Chénier

With the addition of a historical account by H. de Latouche, revised, corrected, and arranged by D. Ch. Robert.

Includes, among other works, André Chénier’s poems, epistles, idylls, elegies, odes, iambics, and prose miscellanies.

Notably includes his celebrated Iambics, among them the final verses he wrote before his execution.

Pagination: XX preliminary pages and 352 pages.

Total pagination: approximately 720 pages, excluding any unnumbered leaves.

Bindings:

A very handsome set of two volumes in antique red half-leather bindings, with boards covered in red and black marbled paper.

Particularly elegant spines, decorated with gilt rules and ornaments, with titles stamped in gold.
Bibliographical interest:

This 1826 edition is of particular interest as a collected edition, partly first edition, of the works of André Chénier.

It brings together the poetry and prose writings of a major author of French literature, a significant portion of whose work came to light after his death.

A sought-after set for its literary and historical interest, as well as the quality of its antique bindings and gilt edges.