(The Inferno). The Vision of Hell by Dante Alighieri. Translated by the Rev. Henry Francis Cary, M.A., and Illustrated with the Designs of Gustave Doré. New Edition. With Critical and Explanatory Notes, Life of Dante, and Chronology.

Beschreibung:

Large folio (37.5 x 29 cm). pp.xxiv+183. Contemporary full green morocco, sides richly bordered in gilt and with gilt monogram to upper boards, the spine with raised bands and gilt-decorated in compartments, marbled endpapers, gilt inner dentelles, all edges gilt. The monogram refers to the Reverend Douglas Barry of Stamford Hill, London, who was presented this book in Easter 1883 from his entire congregation and the members of his St. Johns Choir. Bound into the book is the letter from his congregation, signed by them, and detailing their thanks for his services. There is also an original 19th century black and white photograph of the family, and a document detailing family history. 76 wood-engraved plates by Gustave Doré, including frontispiece portrait of Dante, the plates with captioned tissue-gaurds. Some minimal shelfwear, binding a bit bowed, light occasional spotting to tissue-guards, contents otherwise clean and crisp, generally an excellent copy in a magnificent binding, and with a nice bit of provenance. First published with Doré's illustrations in French by Hachette in 1861 (and first published in English by Cassell in 1866), this copy is a very early edition without the imprint date stated on the title page. "One can hardly deny that Doré is not merely one of the most popular but also one of the greatest of all illustrators… He gladly subjugated his imagination, aiming at literal renderings of the precise descriptions of the Inferno. Thus the varied torments of the dwellers in Hell are shown with minute and sometimes shocking fidelity" (Ray, 327-28). Henry Francis Cary's translation first published in 1814; "it has remained the translation which, on Dante's name being mentioned, occurs first to the mind" (DNB). Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 61533

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