RABELAIS (François) and ICARD (Louis). Gargantua and Pantagr - Lot 250

RABELAIS (François) and ICARD (Louis). Gargantua and Pantagruel. Illustrated with seventy-six color compositions by Louis Icart. A rare copy on Japon Super Nacré (N°4) of this luxurious edition illustrated by Louis Icart, including a suite in black of all 76 plates, an original composition by the artist, a signed sketch, an unused composition, a gilded and inked copperplate, and an original drawing accompanied by a signed autograph letter from the artist to the bibliophile Georges Foussier. Paris, Le Vasseur & Cie, 1936. 6 volumes, in-4 (185x240 mm), paperback, in cardboard folder and slipcase. Approx. 900 pages in total, 60 color hors-texte by Louis Icart, including 1 frontispiece for each volume, a suite of 16 copper-engraved free plates in color, lettering, chapter headings and framing fillets in red. Slight wear to slipcases. A luxurious edition, "much sought-after and highly-rated" (Carteret, IV, 329), of one of the greatest classics of the French language, with 76 out-of-text color compositions by Louis ICART. Limited edition of 976 numbered copies, this being one of the first 30 copies on Japon Super Nacré (N°4), signed by Louis Icart at the justification, including an original composition by the artist used for the illustration, a signed sketch, an unused composition, the free continuation of the 16 copper-engraved plates in color, a black continuation of the 76 plates and a gilded and inked copper (copper for chapter LV). Enriched copy with a drawing by Louis Icart accompanied by a signed autograph letter to the great bibliophile and collector Georges Foussier (1890-1979). A fine copy.