Madame Bovary

A rare treasure, made to be held, admired, and desired.

The Librairie d’Amateurs series of the 1950s from Gibert Jeune gathered some of France’s most cherished classics into elegant, limited-edition grand in‑4 broché (large paperback) volumes. Titles included Seingalt's Mémoires de Casanova and Voltaire’s Candide, all accompanied by illustrations from celebrated artists. Among them, Flaubert’s Madame Bovary stands as the crown jewel of the Librairie d’Amateurs series, pairing one of the most enduring novels of the 19th century with Umberto Brunelleschi’s stylish, and erotic theatrical plates.

This soft, unbound large-format paperback edition is printed on fine Condat vellum paper, with the text in French. It includes 16 full-page plates by Brunelleschi, along with decorative initials and tailpieces, and is numbered 2,207 of 3,000 copies, making it a true collector’s item. The luxurious paper and erotic, full-colour illustrations invite the reader to read, to touch and to savour Flaubert’s story of a woman who seeks escape through romance as a sensual object in its own right.

Edition: Gibert Jeune, Librairie d'Amateurs Edition

Year: 1953

Condition: Very good

Notes: Very well preserved vintage copy, with auctioneer’s mark in pencil and pen on the flyleaf, and a light crease in the back cover.