MÉRIMÉE (Prosper). - Lot 184

MÉRIMÉE (Prosper). La Double méprise. Original watercolors by Bertrand printed in color. Paris: Librairie L. Conquet, L. Carteret et Cie, 1902. - Large in-8, 281x196: (2 ff.), 116 pp. (2 ff. last blank), illustrated cover. Long-grained blue morocco, double gilt framing on the boards, composed of fillets, a roulette with lobed diamond motifs on a riddled background and a stylized fleuron inxon a riddled background at the corners, ribbed spine decorated in the same spirit, blue morocco framing inside, richly decorated with a roulette of arabesques and the same motif at the corners as on the boards, pink silk lining decorated with a gilt roulette, pink silk endpapers, gilt edges on witnesses, cover and spine preserved, case (Chambolle-Duru). Carteret, IV, p. 279. An esteemed and elegant edition, illustrated with 19 compositions by Bertrand, printed in doll's style, including one on the title, 17 at the head of each chapter and a cul-de-lampe. This is an important edition in the history of illustrated books of the period. Bibliographers and booksellers tend to ignore the artist behind the name "Bertrand". In fact, it was a draughtswoman by the name of Marie-Ernestine-Amélie Bertrand, who studied at the Muséum. "She had made a name for herself as a watercolorist on several books for bibliophiles, and was naturally ripe and well-suited for more important works, especially those involving historical reconstructions of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, which she had worked on in particular. Hennique's Deux Patries had just given her a first taste of her abilities. La Double Méprise was to bring out even more clearly her fine, witty interpretation of Mérimée's prose, and above all a science of documentation invaluable for the interpretation of these times..." (Revue biblio-iconographique, 1903, p. 465). She died at the age of 31, never to see her work completed. La Double méprise was her most important work, promising a great future in the illustration of the great texts of French literature. Print run announced at 150 copies on Marais wove paper. Carteret mentions 200 copies on this paper and 5 on japon. A superb copy bound by Chambolle-Duru. Transfer of one of the bookplates to the front cover. Provenance: Marcel Gambier, with bookplate. - Ex-libris with monogrammecm.