Published by Éditions Mornay, Paris, 1926
Bound in Vellum. Limited Edition – No. 195 of only 500 copies printed on Holland van Gelder paper. Octavo, [4], 223 pp., [2]. Beautifully bound in contemporary vellum paper with hand-tooled gilt lettering to spine. Features striking marbled endpapers with the original wraps preserved—front cover bound in at front; rear cover and spine bound in at rear. Internally fresh and clean with the original turquoise silk ribbon marker intact.
Illustrated with seventy-two pochoir (stencil-coloured) compositions by Umberto Brunelleschi, including fourteen full-page plates and fifty-eight in-text vignettes. Each image is delicately hand-colored in the pochoir technique, a hallmark of luxury French book illustration in the 1920s. Brunelleschi’s masterful use of colour, line, and theatrical composition perfectly complements the Orientalist fantasy of Miomandre’s narrative.
Umberto Brunelleschi (1879–1949) was one of the foremost illustrators of the Art Deco period, known for his lavish costume designs, fashion illustrations, and stage sets. His work appeared in La Vie Parisienne, Gazette du Bon Ton, and in fine livres d’artiste like this one. Le Radjah de Mazulipatam is widely considered his most accomplished book illustration project, showcasing the full breadth of his talent in evoking exoticism, elegance, and drama.
Produced during the golden age of French illustrated books, this volume reflects the interwar fascination with Eastern motifs, luxury craftsmanship, and the blending of literature with visual art. Éditions Mornay was a premier Parisian press specializing in such finely illustrated limited editions, and this collaboration with Brunelleschi represents the height of their production values.
A superb example of Art Deco book design and a landmark in 20th-century French illustrated literature.
Condition: Very Good. A bright, handsome copy of a true illustrated classic—rarely found complete and in such well-preserved condition.
