LA VIE ARTISTIQUE [ARTISTIC LIFE]: 8 volumes, the complete series

Paris: E. Dentu & H. Floury, 1892 – 1903. First edition. French language. Eight volumes, complete. First 4 volumes published by E. Dentu, last 4 by H. Floury. Collects Geffroy's impressions, criticism, and reviews of art and artists of the day, covering the Paris Salons of the period as well as the 1900 Paris Exposition/World's Fair. EACH VOLUME WITH ORIGINAL FRONTISPIECE ILLUSTRATION BY A RENOWNED ARTIST AS FOLLOWS: Volume 1 (1892) -- dry point by EUGENE CARRIERE; Volume 2 (1893) -- dry point by AUGUSTE RODIN; Volume 3 (1894 [1897], see note* below) -- dry point by AUGUSTE RENOIR; Volume 4 (1895) -- dry point by J. F. RAFFAELLI; Volume 5 (1897) -- (truncated) lithograph by FANTIN-LATOUR; Volume 6 (1900) -- etching by CAMILLE PISSARRO; Volume 7 (1901) -- etching by DANIEL VIERGE; and Volume 8 (1903) -- lithograph by WILETTE. [*NOTE: Third volume is comprised of the original 1894 E. Dentu sheets (including Dentu title page) bound up in H. Floury covers dated 1897 on front with fine-paper reprint of the original Renoir dry point). FIRST VOLUME INSCRIBED by Geffroy to Victor Jaclard, the French revolutionary socialist and follower of Louis Auguste Blanqui (an interesting association, as Geffroy wrote what is considered the standard biography of Blanqui). 16mo original French-style paperwraps with covers printed in black and red. Fragile covers darkened and showing expected wear, especially at spines, a few of which appear to have been reinforced. Nonetheless altogether good or better with insert to first volume present, as called for. Quite scarce in the complete set. (Inventory #: 71544)