THE SONG OF ROLAND With an Introduction by Hamish Miles

LIMITED EDITION, one of only 1500 hand-numbered copies SIGNED BY THE ILLUSTRATOR, Valenti Angelo. With illustrations made by Valenti Angelo, who has hand-illuminated them in each copy. Small folio, publisher's original blue boards backed in white parchment, the spine gilt lettered and ruled, the backing decorated with a row of gilt fleur-de-lis and gilt ruling on each side, the upper board with a gilt and two-colour inlay of a knight within a circle of gilt, t.e.g. In the original blue paper-coverd slipcase lettered and ruled in gilt. xiii, 138, [1] pp. A stunning and very fine copy, internally mint, pristine and as new in every way, the blue boards unworn and with no fading, a trivial rub on the rear cover, the parchment bright and showing no age mellowing whatsoever, the slipcase only lightly aged.

Edizione: a copy in especially fine condition. artist valenti angelo's hand-illuminated drawings are a perfect complement to moncrieff's translation of this 11th-century chanson de geste based on the deeds of the frankish military leader roland at the battle of roncevaux pass. they bring to mind illustrations such as those in the manuscript edition of froissart in the british museum; but also make no attempt to hide their modernist origins.<br> the song of roland is the oldest surviving significant work of french literature. believed to have been written between 1040 and 1098, it is also the most outstanding example of a chanson de geste, a literary form celebrating legendary deeds and actions. these were highly popular between the 11th and 14th centuries. the bodleian library at cambridge holds the only extant manuscript, which dates between 1129 and 1165.