FLAUBERT Gustave Madame Bovary – Mœurs de Province-.

Carteret, I, 265; Vicaire, III, 721; Clouzot, 121.

First edition.

An exceptional copy that belonged to Charles Asselineau, a friend and defender of Charles Baudelaire during his trial.

When Madame Bovary and Les Fleurs du Mal were published, they were taken to court by the same magistrate, Ernest Pinard. He judged Madame Bovary to be licentious, but Flaubert was acquitted thanks to an indictment by his lawyer Antoine Sénard, to whom the book was dedicated.

When Les Fleurs du Mal was prosecuted and condemned, Baudelaire wrote to Flaubert. In a letter dated 25 August 1857, he mentions both his support and the criticism he intended for the novel: 

“Cher ami,

[…]Et l’article sur Madame Bovary recule encore de quelques jours ! Quelle interruption dans la vie qu’une aventure ridicule !

La comédie s’est jouée jeudi, cela a duré longtemps !

Enfin, 300 fr. d’amende, 200 fr. pour les éditeurs, suppression des numéros 20, 30, 39, 80, 81 et 87. Je vous écrirai longuement cette nuit. Tout à vous, vous le savez.”

His review of Flaubert’s novel finally appeared in L’Artiste on 18 October.

Charles Asselineau, for his part, wrote a text in Baudelaire’s defence, in which he emphasised the critical reception of Flaubert’s work, which he quoted explicitly. His argumentation was presented in court :

“Tout récemment encore, n’a-t-elle [la foule] pas fait accueil à Gustave Flaubert ?”

Flaubert seemed touched by Asselineau’s attention, writing to Baudelaire on 23 August:

“J’ai reçu les articles sur votre volume. Celui d’Asselineau m’a fait grand plaisir. Il est, par parenthèse, bien aimable pour moi. Dites-lui de ma part un petit mot de remerciement.”

This copy thus embodies a pivotal moment in modern French literature, at the crossroads of censorship, literary solidarity and aesthetic struggle.

The binding by Lortic, Baudelaire’s personal bookbinder, further reinforces this intellectual and friendly relationship.

A fine copy.