II. Paul et Virginie

II. Back to Nature
Paul et Virginie by Bernadin de Saint-Pierre

This copy contains a letter from the author with original drawings for his title portrait, as well as four drawings by Tony Johannot, in a stunning binding by Henri Marius Michel [no. 55].

This copy contains a letter from the author with original drawings for his title portrait, as well as four drawings by Tony Johannot, in a stunning binding by Henri Marius Michel [no. 55].

This copy contains a letter from the author with original drawings for his title portrait, as well as four drawings by Tony Johannot, in a stunning binding by Henri Marius Michel [no. 55].

The 1838 edition of the Bernardin de Saint-Pierre novel Paul et Virginie, which was published by Léon Curmer, has gained cult status as the illustrated book of the Romantic par excellence. First published in 1788, the sentimental-melodramatic love story set on Mauritius (then Île-de-France) was the first document of French exotisme, steeped in Enlightenment thought and a Rousseauian sentiment of nature. With the richly illustrated "édition extraordinaire", Curmer created what Beraldi considered to be the most famous illustrated book of the 19th century. While Tony Johannot and the young Ernest Meissonier (on the appended story La chaumière indienne) were the main illustrators, also involved were Eugène Isabey, Paul Huet, Charles Jacque, Célestin Nanteuil, Henri Antoine Baron, François Louis Français, and others. The pictorial cosmos of the book includes seven steel-engraved portraits, 29 plates, over 450 text illustrations, as well as a map of the island of Mauritius.

The most beautiful copy known [no. 60], on large China paper, bound by Henri Marius Michel in two volumes with floral-ornamental mosaic bindings: this volume not only includes all plates in variants, but also roughly half of all the text illustrations as fumés on China paper. From the collection of Paul Sébastien Gallimard.

The most beautiful copy known [no. 60], on large China paper, bound by Henri Marius Michel in two volumes with floral-ornamental mosaic bindings: this volume not only includes all plates in variants, but also roughly half of all the text illustrations as fumés on China paper. From the collection of Paul Sébastien Gallimard.

The cult surrounding Paul et Virginie not only found expression in the extraordinary features of the book itself: our collection also includes no less than 60 original printing blocks [nos. 61-66], heightened with Meudon White, which were framed and compiled into six ensembles of display cases.

Here you can see the printing block of the plate depicting Paul embracing a papaya tree [from no. 64], alongside Tony Johannot’s exceptionally delicate and detailed original pencil drawing in a decidedly larger format [no. 67].

Here you can see the printing block of the plate depicting Paul embracing a papaya tree [from no. 64], alongside Tony Johannot’s exceptionally delicate and detailed original pencil drawing in a decidedly larger format [no. 67].

A copy in a morocco binding with Rocaille decor typical of the time, signed by Tell Bescher [no. 49].

A publisher’s binding à l’orientale in red morocco that used to belong to Robert d’Orléans, the Duke of Chartres [no. 50].

In an oil painting of the female protagonist [no. 68], Tony Johannot gave the young and innocent Virginie an almost clairvoyant look, as she appears before a background of starkly contrasting light and shadow.

A copy in a velvet binding by Alphonse Giroux with gilded fittings [no. 53].

Out of the 15 copies that were printed on large China paper, two are shown here: one from the collection of Alexandre Roudinesco, in a binding after his own design by Maylander [no. 58], and one in a binding by Hardy-Mennil, which includes a signed letter from Napoleon Bonaparte [no. 59], in which he asks the author for a sequel to the story!

Out of the 15 copies that were printed on large China paper, two are shown here: one from the collection of Alexandre Roudinesco, in a binding after his own design by Maylander [no. 58], and one in a binding by Hardy-Mennil, which includes a signed letter from Napoleon Bonaparte [no. 59], in which he asks the author for a sequel to the story!

Out of the 35 copies on China paper, five are in our collection: one of these was owned by Crown Prince Louis Ferdinand d’Orléans (father of Robert), which he had bound in completely uncut condition in red morocco by Laurent [no. 57].