Limited edition on japon. Théophile Gauthier's novel was undoubtedly inspired by the 'Orientalism' which dominated French culture in the middle of the XIX century. The text first appeared in parts in Le Moniteur universel between March and May 1857, and was published in book form in 1858. Set in the Valley of Kings, a young English aristocrat and a German Egyptologist find a sarcophagus with a perfectly preserved mummy of a pharaoh named Tahoser inside. After this discovery the novel recounts the life of beautiful Tahoser and her lovers.

Limited edition, one of 67 copies on Japon, this numbered 37; 8vo (21 x 17.5 cm); 325pp., 36 compositions in colour after Barbier including the printed wrappers, title-page and vignette, printed on wood by Gasperini, with an additional suite of illustrations of the same composition but in a simplified outline design, printed in red, black, grey or purple, pages cut and in various sizes, blue marbled endpapers, minor age toning but otherwise very fresh; bound in contemporary quarter crushed dark blue morocco over marbled boards with the original wrappers bound in, spine in six parts with raised bands and gilt title to second, in fine condition.