(Les Fables d'Esope Phrygien)
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Authors
Baudoin, Jean
Issue Date
1660
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Language
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Abstract
This book represents a significant addition to the collection in a family already richly represented. The family of Bodemann #67.1, associated with Jean Baudoin as its author, contains four editions (1631, 1659, 1682, and 1683). Our collection already has editions in this family dated 1649, 1659, 1660, and 1669. This present copy has its own place among them. Cataloguing this book is challenging because pages are lacking at the beginning and -- almost certainly -- at the end. Elements to note near the beginning are these: the first present pages are in the "Epistre," signed by Baudoin. After a notice to the reader, there is an unillustrated life of Aesop (1-131) begun with a strong full-page illustration of Aesop signed by Briot and featured in "Fabula Docet." There follows an unpaginated T of C of 118 individual fables -- the last on 650 -- and, finally, a statement of royal privilege signed by Renovard and dated 1631. At this copy's end, there is a statement "end of the 117th fable" at the bottom of 648; pagination had started over for the fables themselves. Along the way, each fable receives a full-page illustration, many of them dependent, I believe, on Gheeraerts. Examples of strong and familiar illustrations include "Thief and Dog" (#21 on 113) and "Traveler and Satyr" (#106 on 585). Pages 15-16 are missing. Numeration of the fables is off in their 80's; these are listed as though they are 90's. Image pages are printed on the verso, and the paper is very thin. Each fable is followed here by a "discours" or a "remarque." By contrast with some other Baudoin editions, there is no "Philelphus" section here after the Aesop section. Apparently all of these Baudoin editions follow the order and number of fables found in Bodemann #26.1, an anonymous French collection of 1547. I gather that the 1669 edition turns to a different artist for its illustrations. 4¼" x 6¾". I will leave it to bibliographers with more resources and time than me to discern the publisher and date of this lovely book!