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Illustrated by: Jean-Honoré Fragonard (French, 1732–1806)
Illustrated by: Charles Monnet (French, 1732–after 1808)
Illustrated by: Jacques Louis François Touzé (French, 1747–1807)
Etched by: Paul-Edme Le Rat (French, 1849–1892)
Etched by: Ricardo de Los Rios (Spanish, 1846–1929)
Etched by: Félix Augustin Milius (French, 1843–1894)
Etched by: Augustin Mongin (French, 1843–1911)
Portrait(s) designed by: Hyacinthe François Rigau y Ros, called Hyacinthe Rigaud (French, 1659–1743)
Author: Jean de La Fontaine (French, 1621–1695)
Publisher: Rouquette Libraire (French, 19th century)
Etched by: Peter Kauffmann (French, born in 1849)
Etched by: Gustave Fraipont (Belgian, born in 1849)
Illustrated by: Paul Avril (French, 1849–1928)
Portrait(s) designed by: Marguerite Gérard (French, 1761–1837)
Illustrated by: Pierre-Philippe Choffard (French, 1730–1809)
1883
Place of Publication: Paris, France

Medium/Technique Illustrated book with numerous etchings, plus extra illustrations.
Dimensions Overall (each vol., depth variable): 25.1 x 17.9 x 6 cm (9 7/8 x 7 1/16 x 2 3/8 in.)
Credit Line William A. Sargent Collection—Bequest of William A. Sargent
Accession Number37.2102a-b
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsIllustrated books
Paris: P. Rouquette, 1883

Description(Paris: P. Rouquette, 1883) Quarto, two vols.; (v. 1) [2 ff.] lxii pp. [1 f.] 244 pp., plus plates; (v. 2) [2 ff.] 330 pp. [1 f.], plus pls.; contemporary half gilt-stamped red morocco, marbled paper boards (Dodé).

Literary illustrations, portraits.

A reprint of the 1795 Didot edition of La Fontaine's Contes (MFA copy: 37.2376a-b), with the Fragonard illustrations (from drawings) newly etched by Le Rat, Los Rios, Milius, and Mongin. This edition, with a new preface by Anatole de Montaiglon, was published by Rouquette in an edition of 400 copies, of which this is no. 35 from the first 100, which were printed on Japon; each contains two impressions of each large plate, with and without caption.

In addition, this copy is extra-illustrated with vignettes by Avril, Kauffmann, and Fraipont and after Choffard, with extra portraits. The donor has identified several on the verso of the first flyleaf.

See also 37.2134 for the Lemonnyer edition of the same title and year, more explicitly reproducing the Didot edition.
ProvenanceWilliam A. Sargent, Boston (1858-1936), by whom bequeathed to MFA, November 17, 1937.