DORÉ (Gustave). - Lot 74

DORÉ (Gustave). La Ménagerie parisienne. Paris : Au bureau du Journal pour rire, [1854]. - In-4 oblong, 260 x 345: 24 plates, cover printed in gilt letters. Paperback, in modern red chagrin spine folder and slipcase. First printing of this beautiful album composed of 24 original lithographs by Gustave Doré. It was advertised in the Bibliographie de la France of October 28, 1854 (no. 3826). In this album, Gustave Doré presents a satirical picture of the Parisian world. "One might even call it "fauna", since he assimilates each social type to an animal race, without the drawing losing any of its humanity. To designate the aristocrats of the Faubourg Saint Germain, he uses a term used in England since the 18th century: lions and lionesses. From lions to sewer rats, Doré's merciless pencil spared none of the classes of urban society" (Michèle Lavallée, in catalog: Gustave Dorée 1832-1883, Strasbourg, 1983, p. 287). EXEMPLAIRE D'UNE EXTRÊME RARETÉ, TIRÉE SUR PAPIER VÉLIN FORT, non répertorié par les bibliographes, en état sans l'adresse du lithographe Vayron. This suite does not appear to have been marketed. It appeared without a title, but with a green cover on which the title is printed. This is the same cover as for the copies in the current edition. Very fine, intensely black proofs. The set is very well preserved, despite a few tears to the cover and some very rare freckling.