La Fontaine, Contes et nouvelles en vers, Amsterdam [i.e. Paris], 1762, contemporary red morocco

LA FONTAINE, JEAN DE

Contes et nouvelles en vers. Amsterdam [i.e. Paris: no publisher], 1762

“Fermiers Généraux” edition, 2 volumes, 8vo (178 x 114mm.), half-titles, engraved portrait frontispieces of La Fontaine and Eisen by Rigaud and Fiquet, 80 plates by Eisen engraved by Aliamet and others, 4 vignettes and 53 culs-de-lampe by Choffard, 4 additional plates from another edition bound in, two plates (“La cas de conscience” and “La diable de Papefiguiere”) in “découverte” state, contemporary red morocco gilt, covers with triple gilt fillet borders, flat spine gilt in compartments with floral motifs, floral endpapers, occasional slight spotting

The Fermiers Généraux, an association of tax gatherers, sought to consolidate their prestige and presence as the first financial company in the French realm with this lavishly illustrated book, of which all but five stories were composed by La Fontaine. Charles Eisen's designs, among his liveliest and most spontaneous, capture the most salient moment of these piquant tales without vulgarity.

LITERATURE:

Cohen-De Ricci 558

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