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Les plaisirs et les jours

1896210 x 300 mm

FIRST EDITION OF MARCEL PROUST'S FIRST BOOK.
This copy is enriched with a beautiful and large aquarelle in full colour.
SIGNED BY MADELEINE LEMAIRE

3 000 

1 in stock

Description

FIRST EDITION OF MARCEL PROUST'S FIRST BOOK.
Illustrations by Madeleine Lemaire, preface by Anatole France and four pieces for piano by Reynaldo Hahn.
Current edition after 30 copies on China paper and 20 copies on Japon paper.

Enriched copy, like the copies onJapan, WITH A LARGE WATERCOLOUR IN COLOUR SIGNED BY MADELEINE LEMAIRE on the white title page, straw-yellow pink with soft green leaves.

The watercolourist Madeleine Lemaire (1845-1928) welcomed artists and writers to her salon, where Proust was received as early as 1892. It was at her salon that Proust made two important encounters: with Reynaldo Hahn and Robert de Montesquiou. She would later become one of Mme Verdurin's main models.

We can only admire the clear-sightedness of Anatole France's preface when he wrote: "Marcel Proust also enjoys describing the desolate splendour of the setting sun and the restless vanities of a snobbish soul. He excels at recounting the elegant pains, the artificial sufferings, which at least equal in cruelty those that nature bestows on us with maternal prodigality. I confess that these invented sufferings, these sufferings found by human genius, these artistic sufferings seem to me infinitely interesting and precious, and I am grateful to Marcel Proust for having studied and described a few selected examples."

A well-preserved copy in a contemporary binding.

 

Paris,Calmann Levy,1896.In-4, Bound,210 x 300 mm,272 [4] pp.

Bound in contemporary style. Camel-coloured half basane. Spine ribbed; brown title page, gilt title and fleurons. Bookmark. Spotting on the front cover.

Bio

Marcel Proust

Marcel Proust, born in Paris on July 10, 1871 and died in Paris on November 18, 1922.

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