Perrault, Les hommes illustres, Paris, 1696, contemporary red morocco gilt

Charles Perrault

Les hommes illustres qui ont paru en France pendant ce siecle: avec leurs portraits au naturel (-tome II). Paris: Antoine Dezallier, 1696-1700

2 parts in one volume, folio (421 x 276mm.), engraved portrait of the author, engraved frontispiece, engraved vignette on title-pages, woodcut initials and headpieces, engraved tailpiece, 102 engraved portraits, old manuscript note in French on a blank leaf at the end of volume 1 about the creation of this work and the negative attitude of the Jesuits towards it, contemporary red morocco gilt, spine gilt in compartments, speckled edges, later slipcase, some leaves browned (mostly text leaves), small repairs to binding

FIRST EDITION of Perrault's biographical survey of notable men of the seventeenth century, including artists, churchmen, politicians, and academics. Two of the portraits, of Arnauld and Pascal, were supposed to be suppressed but they appear here in the correct place in part 1; the two substituting portraits (with accompanying text), of Thomassin and Du Cange, are added at the end of part 1 after the manuscript note.