Or the Fox, by Ben Jonson. A New Edition with a Critical Essay on the Author by Vincent O'Sullivan and a Frontispiece Five Initial Letters and a Cover Design Illustrative and Decorative by Aubrey Beardsley, Together with an Eulogy of the Artist by Robert
ONE OF ONLY 100 ON VELLUM
Volpone Or the Fox, by Ben Jonson. A New Edition with a Critical Essay on the Author by Vincent O'Sullivan and a Frontispiece Five Initial Letters and a Cover Design Illustrative and Decorative by Aubrey Beardsley, Together with an Eulogy of the Artist by Robert
Leonard Smithers and Co., 1898.
Deluxe limited edition, no. 28 of 100 copies printed on Japanese vellum. 4to. Full creamy vellum, with elaborate Beardsley design and lettering in gilt on the upper cover and with gilt vignette of "Puck on Pegasus" to the rear cover. Top edge gilt. Cover design, frontis and six illustrated initials, five of which are reproduced as enlarged photogravure plates. (The initials for Act 2 and Act 4 are the same, but only the initial to Act 2 is enlarged). A very good copy indeed, gilt gleaming, boards slightly dusty and bowed.
One of 100 copies originally priced at £2.2.0. Beardsley was commissioned to produce the artwork for a deluxe edition of Volpone in November 1897, with 24 illustrations including a frontis, decorative initials and a front cover design envisaged. However he died on 16 March 1898 having only completed the illustrations included here. This was, however, a project that Beardsley was passionate about, writing "I am making pictures of Ben Jonson's adorable and astonishing Volpone" and "I carry Volpone about with me from dawn to dawn and dream of nothing else". He considered his illustration for "Volpone Adoring His Treasure" (frontis) as "one of the strongest things I have ever done". (Publishers to the Decadents, James Nelson)
A wonderful combination of Jonson's comedy of corruption and Beardsley's ability to depict decadence with a light touch.
PROVENANCE: From the library of Haldane McFall, Aubrey Beardsley's friend and biographer, his bookplate on the front pastedown, with his signature below.
Lasner 129.
Stock ID: 32879
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