FABLES DE LA FONTAINE: Publiees par D. Jouaust avec l'Eloge de La Fontaine par Chamfort
Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles, 1885. Small octavo, two volumes. In three-quarter blue morocco over marbled paper bindings by Brentano’s Paris, with decorative gilt stamping, five raised bands, marbled, endpapers, and a ribbon marker. Previous owner’s ink signature (“Paris, December, 1910”) to a prefatory blank leaf in the first volume. The spines are a touch faded, with some edgewear to the boards; otherwise very good.
Told in an elegant style, Jean de la Fontaine's (1621-95) charming animal fables depict sly foxes and scheming cats, vain birds and greedy wolves, all of which subtly express his penetrating insights into French society. Illustrated with drawings by Louise Emile Adan and etchings by Paul Edme Le Rat.