Charlot

1941 · réf. 148549 — New York: The Limited Editions Club 1941. The Limited Editions Club signed limited edition of this novella that inspired Georges Bizet’s famous opera of the same name. Quarto bound in full modern morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe with gilt titles to the spine top edge gilt gilt inner dentelles marbled endpapers frontispiece of Prosper Mérimée illustrated with color lithographs. Boldly signed by illustrator Jean Charlot on the colophon page at the rear. One of an unstated number of copies this is number 331. In near fine condition with sunning to the spine. Translated from the French by Lady Mary Lloyd. Introduction by Konrad Bercovici. Illustrated by Jean Charlot. Prosper Mérimée 1803–1870 was a prominent French writer historian and archaeologist whose literary work reflects the Romantic fascination with exotic locales psychological complexity and the darker aspects of human passion. Though associated with the Romantic movement Mérimée’s prose is marked by clarity conciseness and an interest in realism that sets him apart from his more lyrical contemporaries. His most enduring works such as Carmen and Colomba often center on violent conflicts rooted in cultural difference honor and personal obsession. As Inspector-General of Historical Monuments Mérimée was also instrumental in preserving French architectural heritage demonstrating a scholarly rigor that shaped both his fiction and his public life. His blend of ethnographic detail and narrative economy helped lay the groundwork for modern short fiction in France. The Limited Editions Club unknown