BARBEY D'AUREVILLY (Jules). - Lot 35

BARBEY D'AUREVILLY (Jules). Le Chevalier des Touches. Paris: Michel Lévy frères, La Librairie Nouvelle, 1864. - In-18, dark green half-maroquin with corners, ribbed spine, gilt head, untrimmed, cover preserved (20th century binding). First edition of one of the author's masterpieces, of which no large paper was made. "This romantic story, tender and atrocious, is told with a curious eloquence, a fiery vigor reminiscent of the most shuddering pages of Victor Hugo's Quatre-vingt-Treize; it differs, however, by the sharp bite of a style with clean, brilliant colors, sonorous and eloquent, but never emphatic" ("Dictionnaire des œuvres", 1980 ed., I, p. 725). A good copy, complete with the publisher's catalog for March 1864, bound in at the end, which is very often missing. Spine faded. Joint : - BUHOY (Félix). Six etchings to illustrate Le Chevaliers des Touches by J. Barbey d'Aurevilly drawn and engraved by Félix Buhot. Paris : Alphonse Lemerre, 1879. -In-8, leaves, in publisher's hardback folder. Beautiful suite of 6 engravings, including a portrait of the author, drawn and engraved by the painter and engraver Félix Buhot (1847-1898). Printed on wove paper. Spotted dust jacket. Heavy foxing to portrait, some foxing to other plates.