Vita Nuova. Dessins et gravures de Richard Brunck de Freundeck.

WITH AN ORIGINAL DRAWING. Brunck de Freundeck's finest (and final) livre de peintre, a bilingual (Italian-French) edition of La Vita Nuova, illustrated with 28 ORIGINAL ETCHINGS and many additional etchings after the artist in the text. Additionally, there are nine initials carefully gilded by hand in gold leaf. From a total edition of 150 numbered copies on fine Lana wove paper printed for Les Médecins Bibliophiles. This copy, printed for Dr. Marcel Rouzaud, includes ONE OF ONLY 16 SUITES OF THE 28 ORIGINAL ETCHINGS (one of 12 on Chinese paper--there were an additional 4 on Japanese paper) and AN ORIGINAL DRAWING BY BRUNCK DE FREUNDECK, the basis for one of his etchings. Brunck de Freundeck died unexpectedly while producing this book. He completed the first 24 etchings. He was working on the 25th, which is printed here in its uncompleted form (a rare occurrence, if not unique, in the history of French bibliophile publishing.) The final three etchings were executed after Brunck de Freundeck's drawings by Quesneville, the printer, who accomplished the task with great aplomb. This copy includes "Prpos sur l'édition de la Vita Nuova" (24 pp, self-wraps, printed on fine wove paper in an edition limited to 125 copies), which includes an exhaustive explanation of the genesis of this edition, with many letters written by Brunck de Freundeck himself. Also laid in is the menu for the gala dinner on December 16, 1950, when this book, after much delay, was presented to the members of Les Médecins Bibliophiles (4 pp on fine wove paper with, on the first page, an impression in bistre of one of the etchings from the book.) 4to. Loose as issued in original wraps. Housed in the original board chemise and slipcase. FINE AND BRIGHT. A wonderful copy of a wonderful book.