NODIER (Charles). FRANCISCUS COLUMNA. Charles Nodier’s lates - Lot 216

NODIER (Charles). FRANCISCUS COLUMNA. Charles Nodier’s latest short story, preceded by a bibliographical and literary study by Mario Roques, a member of the Institute, on *Le Songe de Poliphile*, and illustrated with woodcuts selected from the 1499 Italian edition of *Le Songe* and the 1546 French edition. Brie-Comte-Robert, Les Bibliolâtres de France, Les Minimes, 1949. Large quarto, 88 pp. and [3] ff., in loose sheets, with a gray-green filled cover printed in black and blue, a cloth-bound cardboard slipcase, and a matching publisher’s slipcase. A beautiful bibliophilic edition of *Franciscus Columna*, Charles Nodier’s last novella, accompanied by a substantial study by Mario Roques devoted to *The Dream of Poliphilo*. The volume is illustrated with 34 reproductions of woodcuts taken from the two major historical editions of *Hypnerotomachia Poliphili*: the Italian edition of 1499 and the French edition of 1546. Several woodcuts are presented side by side, allowing readers to compare the original Italian compositions with their French interpretations. This publication is particularly interesting for the convergence of two worlds of bibliophilia: that of Charles Nodier, a passionate bibliophile and key figure in French Romanticism, and that of the mysterious *The Dream of Poliphilo*, one of the masterpieces of Renaissance illustrated books. Nodier himself was a major figure in the history of French bibliophilia, particularly through his famous literary circle at the Arsenal. Limited edition of 3,333 numbered copies, printed on luxury paper from the Papeteries du Marais. Personalized copy no. 875, specially printed for Dr. Jean Combet. This distinctive feature is worth highlighting: copies of this edition were personalized with the names of their subscribers. Consequently, copies printed for Maurice Gorrée, Dr. M. Armingeat, Odette Laugé, or Marie-Thérèse Bogaert can be found on the market. Printed on October 19, 1949, by E. Baudelot, printer in Paris. Copy preserved as published, in loose sheets, untrimmed, with its original cover, slipcase, and case. The interior is in very fresh condition. The cover is well preserved. The slipcase and, especially, the case show signs of wear, with scuffing, soiling, and wear along the edges, small losses of cloth, and damage to the caps and corners; however, the set remains complete with its original slipcase.