FABLES DE JEAN DE LA FONTAINE; Illustrations de Vimar

Tours, France: Alfred Mame et Fils, Editeurs, 1897. First Thus Illustrated. Pictorial cloth. Good +/None. A. Vimar. Folio (13" x 9 3/4" x 1 5/8"), pictorial cloth with gilt lettering on spine and front cover plus a nicely colored group of animals sitting beneath a sculpture of La Fontaine on front cover; illustrated throughout by A. Vimar with B&W frontispiece, vignettes throughout, & several full color plates; blue-green endpapers; all page edges gilded [a.e.g.]; xvi + 486 semi-gloss pages. Weight: ~ 7 lbs. Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695) was one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is best known for his Fables, which served as a model for fabulists across Europe.<br/><br/>Auguste Vimar (1851-1916) was a French painter and illustrator highly respected for his animal studies (notably horses, dogs, and elephants). He worked in oils, gauche, and related media. In 1897, another children's book by Vimar was his humorous L'Automobile Vimar. <br/><br/>VERY SCARCE wonderfully illustrated Fin de Siecle edition in folio format. Light age-toning and a few traces of foxing to pictures. No marks by previous owners. Moderate wear and fading to covers, edges, and corners--mainly noticeable on the front--though the colors of the front cover remain quite vibrant.