Fables de La Fontaine

Abstract

This is one of several publications probably stemming from Gordinne, a publication house that existed between 1935 and 1950. I would enjoy sometime looking through them all together. For this publication, I have learned that an illustrator whose signature I have earlier misunderstood is really Etienne LeRallic. In this 10" x 12½" publication with a deteriorating canvas binding, there are four 12-page segments with a regular format: first page with a multi-story image inside a colored frame and a last page with a single colored image. Inside are several stories including multiple illustrations. Some of them, surprisingly, are fully colored. Others are duochrome. The cover of the whole booklet is a bonanza of colored images brought together: FG; FC; MSA; "Wolf as Shepherd"; "Cobbler and Financier"; TH; "Heron"; and FS. The back cover is plain. The four "title-pages" combine a number of images. The first two booklets are illustrated entirely by Etienne LeRallic. The third segment is completely the work of "THomen" or perhaps "Theomen." I can find no clue to this artist. The fourth segment is entirely by a J. Zaucher (?), again not mentioned in the Gordinne article on Wikipedia.fr. This fourth "title-page" is subtler, but various fables are still to be found around the dominating figure of the milkmaid. This book has a number of similarities with others in the family of Gordinne. I am lucky to have found so many publications in this one family. This book belongs to "Série 22 - Fables."