LES DIABOLIQUES. – Barbey D´Aurevilly. Jules & Lobel Riche, Alméry. Paris Octobre 1910. nº 140

A collection of stories first published in 1871 in which the common place is the evil ingrained in women. In the prologue of the first edition the author explained he believed in the real presence of the Devil and since women are beings more inclined to follow their instincts and tend to fall prey to evil more easily. Adulterous women, murderers or duchesses turned into vengeful prostitutes are described in the clearest and most transparent way possible, showing their deep impiety, since this is where “all the morality of his book lies”. However, Les diaboliques ends up possessing and enveloping the reader himself, who becomes yet another victim of the female figures that Barbey d’Aurevilly has immortalised. Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly (1808-1889) belonged to a traditional family. In his youth he showed himself as atheist but soon embraced catholic religion deeply. As a romanticist his novels are characterised by their subtle, provocative and satirical prose, which mixes both realistic and fantastic elements. Throughout his life he wrote more than 1300 articles on literary themes, in addition to numerous novels such as The Bewitched (1854) or The Knight of Touches (1864). However, his masterpiece remains Les diaboliques . Alméry Lobel-Riche (1877-1950), the author of the engravings, was a prominent French painter. His work is strongly influenced by Symbolists, such as Félicien Rops, and Impressionists, mainly Louis Legrand. His illustrations are characterized by a turbulent and problematic atmosphere of decadent sensuality. Lobel-Riche is particularly known for his female nudes, which is why he was chosen to illustrate the work of Jules Barbeyd’Aurevilly. Folio menor (30.5 x 24), pp. [13] 3-321 [22]. Four loose sheets distributed at the beginning of the copy, two of them belonging to a letter from the author and the other two with pencil drawings; two preface sheets, numbered from 7 to 9. Includes 2 portraits, one in a single copy and one in a triple suite; 36 original engravings, each in a triple suite, except for one, which has only 2 copies. The 3 reproductions of the same engraving are divided into: black engraving with notes (other smaller drawings), colour engraving with notes and engraving without notes . Exceptional Levitzky binding from the beginning of the 20th century, art deco style in Moroccan leather, with exquisite figurative (a devilish head with bat wings and a naked female figure) and floral designs; beautiful mosaic compositions on the inside of the cover. Exquisite copy, in perfect condition