La Fontaine: Fables Complètes

Abstract

Here is a second copy of this book, in much better condition. In keeping with this collection's policy, I include it because it is a numbered copy, #1136 of 6000. As I wrote of the copy acquired some 18 years ago, this is a nice looking edition. It may be easiest to compare and contrast it with Dandelot's other La Fontaine edition, from Panthéon in 1961. This edition uses blue for titles and black for texts. Here, as there, no editor is acknowledged. Here, as there, I like the Dandelot water-color illustrations. They are again big, bold, and colorful. Here are the illustrations that I find: FC (cover); WL (16); LM (48); FM (64); "The Old Lion" (96); "The Lion and the Vines" (128); TH (160); "The Fox and the Wolf" (192); "The Fox and the Goat" (224)' and "The Lamb, the Goat, and the Pig" (256). The artist has fun with the illustrations, as when he has the pig in the last illustration weeping. The cover illustration may be the strongest of the whole lot: both characters have strong human expressions on their faces. This book does not have the monochrome designs found in the other volume. Notice the even spacing of the illustrations thirty-two pages apart; this "rule" is violated only once near the beginning, when there are only sixteen pages between LM (48) and FM (64). There is an AI at the back. This book is not in Bodemann or Bassy.