MENDÈS Catulle - SCHWABE Carlos. L'Évangile de l'enfance de N.S.J.C

L’Évangile de l’Enfance de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ selon Saint-Pierre. Mis en français par Catulle Mendès d’après le manuscrit de l’Abbaye de Saint Wolfgang. Composition et encadrement de Carloz Schwabe.

Paris, Armand Colin & Cie Éditeurs, [1894 (Carteret V:73) ]

Luxury edition limited to 150 copies on vellum. This one No. 30. with a double series of engravings (including one on chine).

In-4° (330x250mm). Half brown Moroccan with corners, marbled paper covers, smooth spine with mosaic and gilded symbolist decoration. Gilded top edge. Marbled paper endpapers and endpapers. Cover preserved.

Illustrated edition in chromotypography of 120 pages of extraordinarily meticulous and original frames with dreamlike symbolist themes and plates outside the texts with striking figuration. In the image of the mysticism of this apocryphal gospel, which tells the story of the childhood of Jesus, his life and his miracles.

Each page is a visual tour de force, striking in its strangeness and originality. Encouraging the fatasms that can be generated by readings of this type of gospel. Where one wishes to detect a new truth in each story.

This book was exhibited at the Salon Rose Croix of 1892, an important artistic gathering, and made Carlos Schwabe famous.
(the artist also made the poster for the event: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9013791r/f1.item.zoom)

L’Évangile de l’Enfance is one of the great revolutionary books of its time, like l’Histoire des Quatre fils Aymon, Paris, H. Launette, 1883 illustrated by Eugène Grasset and Ilsée Princess de Tripolis, Paris, Piazza, 1900 illustrated by Alphonse Mucha.
These richly illustrated works where text mixes with illustration and where ornament accompanies the story like a comic strip offer extremely creative text/image compositions.



They impress with their visionary iconographic mastery in both ornament and illustration. Few artists can do it.

The preface relates that Catullus Mendes, on holiday in Switzerland at Saint-Wolfgang (Sankt Wolfgang), was received by the Dominicans of the abbey and was able to visit the library. The Dominicans showed him their almost complete collection of apocryphal gospels. There was the gospel of Saint Jude, the gospel of Saint Barnabas, the gospel of the twelve apostles, the gospel according to the Egyptians, the proto-evangelium of Saint James the Minor, the gospel of Joseph the carpenter, etc.
A gospel of the infancy caught his attention, knowing certain versions, this one seemed unknown to him, Saint Peter being mentioned as the author.
The writer obtained a copy of the precious manuscript from the Prior and on his return to Paris he compared his Evangelium Infantiae to those known until then.



Highly sought after and very hard to find deluxe edition, with a dedication by Carlos Schwabe for Madame J. Hanin.

To learn more : see the complete book on the BNF website : https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1525851j/f22.planchecontact

Condition: Book in excellent condition. Minor rubbing on the lower edge of the marbled paper.