Les Amours Pastorales de Daphnis et Chloé.

Léon Pinchon, Paris, 1919

One of the most beautiful books illustrated by Carlègle. With 33 original woodcuts. With two extra suites of illustrations on Japon ancien and on Chine, all signed by the artist. No. 2 of 20 numbered and signed copies of the special edition on Japon ancien à la forme. “C’est la meilleure illustration de l’artiste” (Carteret).

Description: Vellum spine and fore edge with wood veneer covered boards, filleted in gilt; flat spine lettered and decorated in gilt. Housed in the original slipcase, covered with wood veneer and black leather entry. Bound by Devauchelle (signed). Quarto: 27 × 19 cm; pp. 144, [1]ll., 33 plates on (Japan), 33 plates on China. Top edge gilt.

Ref.: Carteret: iv, 242.

Condition: Slipcase with slightly torn edges, otherwise a near fine copy.

Notes: Charles Émile Egli, born in Aigle in 1877, was a Swiss illustrator and artist. Under the name Carlègle, he worked in Paris from 1900 until his death in 1937 for numerous magazines such as Le Rire, Gazette du Bon Ton and La Vie Parisienne. From 1908 he began to illustrate books, working for publishers such as Georges Briffaut, Calmann-Lévy (collection Pour nos enfants), Mornay, the Société de Bibliophile, the Société Littéraire de France and Léon Pichon. The edition of the Amours Pastorales is one of Carlègle’s most elaborate works. The total edition consisted of 395 copies, of which only copies 1–20 were signed.