EXTREMELY SCARCE-RARISSIME AS NEW/FLAWLESS Recouvert d'une couverture plastifiée de protection non collée Ensemble de croquis présentés sous forme de format bande dessinée et tiré à 950exemplaires pour le compte de la galerie "Les larmes d'Eros" lors de l'exposition de novembre à décembre 2007 d'après le texte original paru au 18e siècle Antoine Raymond Jean Gualbert Gabriel de Sartine, Comte d’Alby (1729–1801) was a French statesman who served as Lieutenant General of Police of Paris (1759–74) during the reign of King Louis XV, and as Secretary of State for the Navy (1774–80) under Louis XVI. As well as being a successful civil servant, Sartine was an educated man and an art lover; the books from his enormous library still appear at public sales and command high prices; they are distinguished by their superb leather bindings with the gold embossed coat of arms of three sardines. He was very fond of his wigs, and during his lifetime a type of wig was named after him. Though the historical truth may well have been exaggerated, it is clear that one of the services provided by the Paris Chief of Police was a regular supply to the king of risqué tales collected during the course of police interrogations and proceedings, it is said to combat Louis XV’s perpetual regal boredom. However embellished such stories were, there is no doubt that they were documented and collected, and provide a living picture of aristocratic exploits in eighteenth-century Paris. Louis thus had a daily supply of anecdotes which allowed him to savour, without leaving his couch, the erotic pleasures of his subjects. A small selection of this collection of anecdotes, illustrated in von Götha’s distinctive style, was published by Éditions Astarté in conjunction with an exhibition of the original artwork at Astarté’s gallery in Paris. 4e de couverture "Nos historiens ont fait plus d’une allusion au document singulier que nous publions aujourd'hui. Berrier d'abord et ensuite Sartine avaient, disent-ils, imaginé de combattre chaque matin l'ennui du roi par le récit des anecdotes de la veille. C'est une entreprise que leur charge de lieutenant de police rendait possible à eux seuls. Le plus souvent galantes, ces historiettes constituaient un tableau vivant de ce Paris du xviiie siècle où venait déjà s’égayer toute l'Europe aristocratique. Louis XV avait pris goût à un passe-temps qui lui permettait de savourer, sans quitter sa couche, les jouissances nomades du calife Haroun, et les intéressants rapports avaient si bien exercé sa mémoire, que ses familiers ne pouvaient plus paraître au petit lever sans éprouver la surprise, parfois peu agréable, d'entendre conter leurs secrètes équipées. Lorédan Larchey, Journal des inspecteurs de M. de Sartine, Dentu, 186." AS NEW-VERY SCARCE A TRUE GEM ! One of the last existing copies Registered and insured shipping via UPS or Bpost Outside Europe : UPS ONLY Customs and import charges are the responsibility of the buyer outside the EU-26 Carefully packaged and with tracking Livraison soignée avec suivi