Sims Reed Rare Books

Manet’s illustrations for Cros’ Le Fleuve, the first truly modern illustrated book, with the rare original wrappers.

From the edition limited to 100 copies, signed by Cros and Manet on the colophon and containing 8 etchings and etchings with drypoint by Manet.

The etchings, here in very good to fine impressions, were printed by August Delatre and A. Cochet.

'Probably the first 19th century book to have a truly modern appearance with etchings simplified almost to abstraction, a square format and wide margins. Much of the atmospheric quality due to careful printing by Auguste Delatre, noted etcher and teacher, who sometimes rubbed his plates slightly after wiping, to spread the ink and soften the tone'. (The Artist and the Book).

The original publisher's printed wrappers, present here and smaller than the sheets for the book, are often lacking.

[The Artist and the Book 177; Guerin 63; Carteret IV, 128; Harris 228-229].

[8 leaves; pp. 15]. Contents: leaf with half-title recto, justification with manuscript number and the signatures of Manet and Cros verso; printed title with etched vignette, verso blank; six leaves with Cros' poem 'Le Fleuve' and seven etchings by Manet, each within the text and printed rectos only, final leaf with two etchings and imprimatur verso. 4to. (276 x 240 mm). Illustration: title with etched vignette and 7 original etchings by Manet. Full contemporary café crème calf by Pagnant with his signature, boards ruled in blind, banded spine with black morocco labels and gilt title in six compartments, turn-ins with elaborate tooling in gilt, marbled endpapers, original publisher's printed wrappers with text in red and black preserved.

#42251