Document - Balzac - César Birotteau – Série des 29...

* Description: a set of 29 original engravings illustrating César Birotteau by Honoré de Balzac, presented in their original sleeve bearing the manuscript title in ink: “Series of the 29 engravings refused for their anachronism.” * Content: 29 plates printed in black on laid paper, with wide margins that are not trimmed * Subjects: scenes of characters in 19th-century costumes * Date and signature: one plate is dated 1931 and signed * Dimensions: A4 format * Condition: foxing on the margins and the image, sleeve yellowed and slightly worn, no major tear. To be confirmed for each plate from the photos. Provenance: private family collection, by inheritance. * Remarks: an interesting piece for Balzac enthusiasts, for engraving and for illustrated books. The photos are part of the description. Several details make this set particularly curious and interesting for Balzac fans and bibliophiles: • An unpublished/rejected suite: As indicated by the handwritten note on the original sleeve, these plates were “refused for their anachronism.” The illustrator (whose monogram or signature is visible on the plates, some dated 1931) depicted the characters with hairstyles, clothing or attitudes that are somewhat too modern or out of place (notably women’s haircuts evoking the 1920s/1930s on some plates) relative to the novel’s era (the Restoration, 1814–1823). • Rarity: The “rejected suites” or separate prints from illustrations abandoned by a publisher are by nature very rare on the market. They are generally issued only in a handful of copies for the artist, the publisher, or close collaborators.

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