Zola (Emile) - Lot 9

Zola (Emile) La Confession de Claude. Paris and Bruxelles, Librairie internationale et Lacroix, 1866. In-12. Contemporary binding. Havana glazed half calf, 5-rib spine decorated with gilt fillet and underlined with cold fillet, red and green title-pieces, gilt title. First edition. Enriched with an autograph letter signed in black ink on the title page: "A Edouard Manet, témoignage de sympathie / Emile Zola". Emile Zola". Wetness in the upper right-hand corner of the first thirty leaves, more or less pronounced. A precious copy by Edouard Manet, of whom Zola was an ardent supporter. La Confession de Claude is Emile Zola's first novel. Even with this first attempt at a novel, the writer attracted the criticism that was to dog him to this day: "under this pretext of azure, light, adored but inaccessible virginity, we allow ourselves the most disgusting details that a realist pen has yet written", wrote Barbey d'Aurevilly. In 1868, Zola dedicated Madeleine Férat to Manet, and the printed dedication of the volume sets the tone for the exceptional relationship between the two men: "The day I spoke out in defense of your talent, I didn't know you. Some fools dared to say that we were just two scandal-seeking accomplices. Since the fools put our hands together, may our hands remain together forever. The crowd wanted my friendship for you; today that friendship is complete and lasting, and I wish to give you public testimony of it by dedicating this work to you."