Tartuffe by Molière, Illustrated by William Hamilton, Arion Press Limited Edition

This is a signed limited edition of “Tartuffe: A Comedy in Five Acts” published by the Arion Press in 2004 with a numbered limitation of 300 copies with this being an unknown number because the book remains unopened in the publisher’s original packaging . From the publisher, “Molière was born and died in Paris (1622-1673). He began as an actor and by 1658 he was presenting plays at the Louvre in its rental theater. In 1664 he staged Tartuffe as a royal divertisement at Versailles, causing a scandal for it being perceived as criticism of the upper classes and anti-clerical. The king supported Molière but performances were suspended. The play was revived in 1667 under the title "Panulphe, ou L'imposteur" but was banned by the clergy ... Richard Wilbur's rhymed verse translation of Tartuffe is a treat to read, and his translations, especially of the plays of Molière, have brought him great acclaim. The cartoonist, humor writer, and playwright, William Hamilton, is well known for his drawings in the New Yorker. His liquid line and quick capturing of character and expression provide perfect foil for the play.”

The Arion Press edition is folio in format, printed by letterpress, 120 pages, with the page size at 14-7/8 by 11 inches. The type is 16-point Van Dijck composed in Monotype for the text with larger sizes handset for display and an ornamental type, Fontanesi, for the title, an initial letter, and act numbers. Photopolymer plates were used for the illustrations. The names of characters are separated from the dialogue by a curving rule. The rule, running heads, folios, the decorative type, and speeches repeated in larger type beneath the illustrations are printed in burgundy ink. The binding is full cloth over boards, the fabric of a burgundy moiré satin. It is stamped in gold with titling on the spine and front cover. The paper is Arches, a French mould-made sheet.

The book is signed by Richard Wilbur and William Hamilton.

Accompanying the book is the original prospectus.

The book is in MINT condition still in the publisher’s original packaging.

The publisher’s stock photographs of the binding and an illustration from the book appear in the photo section of the listing.

About the Arion Press

Since its inception in 1974, the Arion Press has published 118 deluxe limited editions that are breathtaking in their scope and artistry. Combining notable literature illustrated with original artwork from prominent artists, Andrew Hoyem and his team at the Arion Press have carried on the tradition of the livre d’artiste in spectacular fashion. Michael Kimmelman of the New York Times put it best when he wrote, "The Arion Press produces some of the most beautiful limited-edition, hand printed books in the world."