Sahara et Sahel
1887 · Paris
by FROMENTIN, Eugene
Paris: Librairie Plon, 1887. Third edition. With frontispiece plus 16 plates. Half red morocco over marbled boards, rebacked, somewhat rubbed, corners bumped, gilt edges, marbled endpapers (first free endpaper nearly detatched), backstrip beginning to detatch, binding split at pp. 176-177; text slightly toned but clean. Ownership of A.L. Roteh dated Algiers, Feb., 1890. Third edition of an important and detailed narrative of the author's two journeys in North Africa in 1845 and 1847. Each formed as a collection of letters, the two works contained in this one volume are Un été dans la Sahara and Un Anée dans le Sahel. Of the seventeen illustrations, twelve etchings are by Lerat, Courtry, and Rajon, and 4 are based on the Fromentin's own work. Enchanted by what he saw in North Africa, in the preface he "looks back and recalls that his skill as a painter was inadequate to what he saw and this awareness of a limit had pushed him to use his pen. Literature was to provide a form of representation that would track what exceeded his pictorial representations of Algerian scenes" (Crowley, 133).
Fromentin (1820-1876), a French painter and travel writer, was best known for his representations of Northen Africa. He was one of the first to paint scenes of Algeria depicting the people and landscapes of the region. Though he studied under Louis Cabat, his influences derive primarily from Eugene Delacroix. In addition to his artwork, Fromentin is also well known for his travel writings, especially the two works included in this book, having turned to literature later in his life instead of painting. (Inventory #: 15310)
Fromentin (1820-1876), a French painter and travel writer, was best known for his representations of Northen Africa. He was one of the first to paint scenes of Algeria depicting the people and landscapes of the region. Though he studied under Louis Cabat, his influences derive primarily from Eugene Delacroix. In addition to his artwork, Fromentin is also well known for his travel writings, especially the two works included in this book, having turned to literature later in his life instead of painting. (Inventory #: 15310)