LOUYS, PIERRE

1929. Full private leather Very nice copy, upper gilt Published by Paris, Henry Cryal, 1929 (Collection Française). 325 pages, illustrations en couleurs de Pierre Rousseau. Tirage total à 1021 exemplaires. L'un des 970 exemplaires numérotés sur Rives No. 78. Nos. 52 a 1021: 970 eemplaires sur papier vélin de rives. Très belle reliure privée en cuir complet avec une riche décoration et une partie supérieure dorée. Exlibris. Pierre-Félix Louÿs (French: [10 December 1870 - 4 June 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 sought to ""express pagan sensuality with stylistic perfection"". He was made first a Chevalier and then an Officer of the Légion d'honneur for his contributions to French literature. Aphrodite: maeurs antiques (""Aphrodite: ancient morals"") is an 1896 French-language novel by Pierre Louÿs. Set in Alexandria, the novel tells the story of Chrysis, a courtesan, and the sculptor Démétrios. A Galilaean with long golden hair (source of her Greek nickname), Chrysis is proud of her beauty and her skill at winning the devotion and servility of men. Démétrios, for his part, is worshipped by the women of the town, but has grown tired of their devotion. He has come to prefer his statue of the goddess Aphrodite even to his lover, Queen Bérénice, who posed for it. Chrysis is the only woman who does not care for him. Piqued into desire by her resistance, Démétrios is spurred to commit theft and murder for her, to win the three objects she demands in return for her charms: a rival courtesan's silver mirror, the ivory comb of an Egyptian priestess, and the pearl necklace that adorns the cult image in the temple of Aphrodite.