Omphale: Histoire Rococo

Paris: A. Ferroud, 1896.
First Thus.

19.5cm x 12cm. 40 pages, 7 plates. Half leather, marbled papered boards, gilt lettering and decoration, marbled endpapers. Text is in French.

First published within ‘Une larme du diable’ in 1839, and here published separately for the first time with illustrations by Ad. Lalauze. Drawing on the myth of Omphale, the Lydian queen to whom Hercules was sold into servitude, Gautier evokes the gender role-reversal in which the hero spins wool in women’s clothing while Omphale dons his lion skin and wields his club. One of 50 numbered copies on Japon with a second state of the illustrations with remarques (from a total edition of 300), in a fine half leather binding, signed E. Carayon, retaining the original wrappers and with the prospectus bound in.

Very minor rubbing to binding. Near Fine Condition.

AU$800