Finely bound in full crushed red morocco by Pouillet, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated with engravings throughout.
First complete and first illustrated collected edition, including 6 previously unpublished plays of the works of Moliere. Small octavo, 8 volumes. Finely bound in full crushed red morocco by Pouillet, gilt titles to the spine, raised bands, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, illustrated with engravings throughout. In near fine condition. An exceptional example. Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, (baptised January 15, 1622 February 17, 1673) was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature. Among Molière's best-known works are Le Misanthrope (The Misanthrope), L'École des femmes (The School for Wives), Tartuffe ou L'Imposteur, (Tartuffe or the Imposter), L'Avare (The Miser), Le Malade imaginaire (The Imaginary Invalid), and Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme (The Bourgeois Gentleman). Born into a prosperous family and having studied at the Collège de Clermont (now Lycée Louis-le-Grand), Molière was well suited to begin a life in the theatre. Thirteen years as an itinerant actor helped him polish his comic abilities while he began writing, combining Commedia dell'arte elements with the more refined French comedy.