TOUSSAINT, Franz.
Le jardin des caresses.
May and June 1936. 11.5 x 12 cm. Manuscript in French written by the author in blank ink a neat 20th-century hand in one column. Chapter divisions are made in the form of a calligraphic leaf, drawn in the same black ink as the text. Bound in contemporary richly gold-tooled arabesque beige morocco with a flap at the front-edge, covered with gold-tooled green morocco on the inside, purple and white head and end bands, gold and light blue endpapers. Stored in a professionally made beige morocco box (ca. 15 x 15 cm) with a gold-tooled three-line fillet frame on the boards, on the inside covered with light pink silk, title in gold on the spine. [3 blank], [141], [13 blank] pp.
€ 7,500
Autograph copy of Le jardin des caresses, Toussaint's famous collection of Moorish erotic poems, written and inscribed by the author himself as a gift to a his second wife. The work is considered to be a classic of 20th-century French orientalism. The work contains a collection of anonymously written Moorish sensual and erotic poems, translated from the Arabic into French by Franz Toussaint. The present copy of the work was very likely made as a gift for his second wife (married since 1925), Adelaïde Etelca Stefania Braggiotti, and is inscribed by the author himself, emphasizing his feelings for her: "À Etelka, ma femme bien-aimée, qui est pour moi toute la splendour du monde et toute la poësie. Franz Toussaint. Mai 1936".Franz Toussaint (1879-1955) was a French author and orientalist, known for his translations of Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit and Japanese works. He is most known for his translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1924). He was also a director of films.
The present collection of poems, inspired by Arabic literature, were first published serially in 1909-11 before they were published together in 1911 by Henri Piazza in Paris. The work was reprinted many times in the 20th century, all appearing as limited editions, and also translated into English (The garden of caresses; [London], Golden Cockerel Press, [1934]). The work also became very popular in song, as the short stanzas in the work were very suitable to put to music. The present copy of Toussaint's "tales of love", being a presentation copy which is beautiful in its simplicity, is the only autograph of the work known.
With the monogrammed stamp of the author in black ink on both endpapers. Binding slightly worn around the edges of the spine and fore-edge (including the flap), first two endpapers almost loose, with a few minor spots. The case is a little worn at a few places, the two fastenings are gone but still preserved. Overall an autograph copy of Le jardin des caresses which is still in very good condition and in its original binding, made by Toussaint as a gift for his wife.
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