The Adventures of King Pausole, Pierre Louys, ilustrated by Lotan Welshans (“Privately Printed in a Strictly Limited Edition for Members of The Society of Sophisticates”, no date, [c. 1927, the date of the illustrations], [first edition thus])
9 5/8″ X 6 5/8″, 305pp, hardbound, no dust jacket, boards green floral pattern, gilt lettering and designs on spine, top edge gilted, other edges deckle, good condition.
Pierre Louys (1870 – 1925) was a French poet and writer, most renowned for lesbian and classical themes in some of his writings. He is known as a writer who “expressed pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection.” This book is a humorous and risqué “libertine” story about a king with many wives (one for each day of the year). As part of the story, King Pausole had two laws “1. harm no man. 2. Then do as you please.” Spider-webb-patterned tissue coverings on the nine exotic and sensuous plates (gilt on black paper tipped in), by Lotan Weshans.
