PHILOSOPHY OF THE PALATE WITH ETCHINGS

Brillat-Savarin, Jean Anthelme (1755–1826)

Physiologie du Gout [Edition Jouaust] [Limited Edition on Holland Paper] [Fine Binding]

Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles, 1879.

This superior Edition Jouaust represents the high-water mark of 19th-century French culinary publishing, presenting Brillat-Savarin’s foundational work on gastronomy in a superior aesthetic form. 

Featuring the delicate etchings of Adolphe Lalauze printed on premium watermarked Holland paper, this set remains the definitive illustrated edition of the work that transformed gastronomy into a philosophical science. Bound from the original wraps with the paper spines preserved, this collection perfectly embodies the high aesthetic standards of the late-Victorian bibliophile movement.

Featuring delicate etchings by Adolphe Lalauze and printed on premium watermarked laid paper, this set was produced during the height of the French bibliophile movement. It remains a cornerstone for any collection focused on culinary history, fine press aesthetics, or the art of the French etching.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Features a portrait frontispiece of the author and numerous original etchings (eaux-fortes) by Adolphe Lalauze, including detailed headpieces and vignettes for the various 'Meditations'. 
+++ Binding: Handsome contemporary half-brown morocco over marbled boards with matching marbled endpapers. The leather is a rich, dark brown with a fine grain. 
+++ Spine Treatment: Spines are divided into six compartments by five raised bands, highlighted with double gilt fillets. Two compartments feature gilt-stamped titles and volume numbers on contrasting leather labels. The larger central compartments are ornately decorated with unique gilt-tooled motifs of suspended game birds—a duck in Volume 1 and a pheasant in Volume 2—set within rococo flourishes. 
+++ Imprint: Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles (Edition Jouaust), 1879. 
+++ Limitation: One of 170 numbered copies printed on Holland paper (Papier de Hollande), from a total small-number tirage. 
+++ Specs: 6.75 inches tall; Vol 1: xvi, 296 pages; Vol 2: 320 pages.

CONDITION: The bindings are tight and square, providing a firm structure for both volumes. The brown morocco remains supple with rich color, though there is moderate shelf handling wear to the extremities, corners, and joints consistent with careful use. Internally, the text block is clean and free of markings, displaying only light, even age-toning to the watermarked laid paper. All edges remain well-preserved with decorative top-staining.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Design: The Jouaust imprint was famous for its commitment to the 'Livre de Luxe' standard, utilizing hand-set type and premium materials to elevate classical texts into objects of art.
+++ Scholarship: Includes the classic 'Meditations' and the 'Varietes' that defined the genre of gastronomic literature, exploring the philosophical and scientific relationship between the palate and the mind.
+++ Influence: This specific edition, with Lalauze's illustrations, helped cement Brillat-Savarin's status as a 'Living Classic' in the late Victorian era, bridging the gap between Enlightenment thought and modern culinary appreciation.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin’s Physiologie du Goût is the most important book in the history of food. First published in 1825, it famously shifted the study of eating from a purely domestic chore to a philosophical and scientific discipline. Brillat-Savarin was the first to argue that "the discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star."

This specific 1879 Edition Jouaust represents a critical moment in the 'Second Life' of the text. Produced by the Librairie des Bibliophiles, it was designed during the height of the French Livre de Luxe movement. By the late 19th century, Brillat-Savarin was no longer just a cookbook author; he was an Enlightenment icon. Jouaust utilized the finest materials—specifically Papier de Hollande and the delicate etchings of Adolphe Lalauze—to elevate the book from a kitchen reference to an object of high-art bibliophilia.

The gilt-tooled game birds (the duck and pheasant) on the spine of this set are not merely decorative; they serve as a visual homage to the 'Meditations' within the text, signaling to the 19th-century collector that this was a volume meant for the library of a true connoisseur. For the modern collector, this set is the definitive bridge between the epicurean traditions of the Old World and the rigorous standards of French fine press publishing.

SUBJECTS: Gastronomy, French Culinary History, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, Philosophy of Food, 19th-Century French Etching, Bibliophilia, Fine Press, Livre de Luxe, Fine Binding, Illustrated Book, Limited Edition, Culinary Literature.

Item #21896

Price: $350.00