GAUTIER (Théophile). L'art moderne. Paris, M. Lévy frères, 1 - Lot 461

GAUTIER (Théophile). L'art moderne. Paris, M. Lévy frères, 1856. In-18, [2] f., 303 p., period green half-chagrin, 5-rib spine, gilt author and title, gilt initials at tail, caissons edged with double cold fillet (slight rubbing to headpieces and nerves; brown transfer from old paper at edge of title and faux-title; moderate scattered russeting). First edition. A precious copy offered by Théophile Gautier to Victor de Laprade, with a signed autograph letter. This is written in graphite on a piece of tracing paper mounted on the title page. The recipient's initials V.L. on the spine of the binding he had made authenticate the dispatch, which was to have been enclosed with the offered paperback copy. Poet and politician Victor de Laprade (1812-1883) was Alfred de Musset's successor at the Académie française from 1858. (Carteret I, 331, notes 1 f. for the table printed here on p.303, v°). Also by the same author: - Mademoiselle de Maupin. New revised and corrected edition. Paris, Charpentier, 1845. In-12, [2] f., 412 p., contemporary midnight-blue basane, 4-nerved spine, gilt author and title (spine split, spine roughly rebacked; endpapers missing; browning, p.103-104 torn incomplete). First edition in-12. Autograph letter signed by the author on the title page, "Hommage respectueux de l'auteur", with no named addressee. (Carteret I, 322). Total of 2 volumes.