Beschreibung:

BIBLE, Old Testament, Song of Songs in French -- Le Cantique des Cantiques traduit de l'Hébreu par Ernest Renan. Paris: A.Quantin for Librairie Hachette & Cie., 1886. Large 2° (590 x 355mm). First and last leaves blank, half-title. Limitation page and title printed in red and black, the latter with an engraved vignette. 9 full-page illustrations hors-texte , including the additional title, the latter present in two states, 16 half-page illustrations enclosing initials, all by Édmond Hédouin and Emile Boilvin after Alexandre Bida 12 floral tailpieces by Gustave Grieux. BINDING BY HENRI MARIUS MICHEL CA. 1886: grey-brown crushed levant morocco over bevelled boards, the upper cover with overall semi-naturalistic design of lotuses and honeysuckle, with three pairs of flowerheads within intertwined foliage, all inlaid in parti- coloured morocco, outlined in blind, all within an inlaid quadruple frame of green and two shades of brown morocco, similarly outlined, the lower cover with a similar frame but otherwise undecorated, the spine in seven compartments with raised bands, each band emphasised on the covers with three pairs of onlaid 'roots', the band forming the stem, light-blue morocco doublures, the triple fillet and inlaid frame enclosing a wide dentelle border of interlocked gilt stems and tendrils with inlaid foliage and flower-buds of variously coloured morocco, brocade endleaves, g.e., leather-lined morocco-backed and lined chemise, morocco-lined slipcase. A VERY FINE LARGE EXAMPLE OF MARIUS MICHEL'S FULLY DEVELOPED ART NOUVEAU STYLE. The simple emphasis of the bands is masterly and gives the impression that the binding is an organic entity, whilst still echoing the elegance of the plain bindings of the 16th- and 17th centuries. The edition was limited to 10 copies on papier de Chine , of which this is number 1. The binding was illustrated by Roger Devauchelle ( La Reliure en France vol.II, pl.XVIII) as an outstanding example of its type.