RACINE (Jean).

Lot 8
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Estimation :
4000 - 5000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 5 055EUR
RACINE (Jean).
Berenice. Tragedy. Paris, Claude Barbin, 1671. In-12, dark blue morocco, coat of arms in the centre and gilt figure in the corners, spine decorated, same figure repeated, red morocco lining, gilt lace inside, coat of arms in the centre, double marbled paper endpapers, gilt edges (Cuzin). First edition. According to Louis Racine, Bérénice was the result of a "competition" secretly proposed to Racine and Corneille by Henriette of England, wife of Philippe d'Orléans, brother of Louis XIV, known as Monsieur. Racine's play was premiered on 21 November 1670 on the stage of the Hôtel de Bourgogne: its great success eclipsed that of his rival, Titus and Berenice, which was premiered a few days later by Molière's company. It is said that the success of Racine's play was due to the performance of La Champmeslé, one of the greatest tragediennes of her time. A fine copy bearing the arms of Albert de Naurois, descendant of Jean Racine, with his coat of arms stamped on the lining. H. 152 mm. The decoration of the binding, conceived according to a model wanted by Naurois, includes in the center of the boards the coat of arms of Jean Racine which are "with a silver swan" and in the corners the figure of the author or rather the reproduction of his stamp in a small medallion. The copy comes from the library of Charles Hayoit, a Belgian bibliophile who had collected an important set of first editions of Racine, bound in the same way and of Naurois provenance (I, 2001, n°118-133, this one n°124).
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