Beschreibung:

SUMAROKOV, Aleksandr Petrovich (1717-1777). Raznyia stikhotvoreniia. [Various Poems]. St Petersburg: [Imperial Academy of Science], 1769. Rare collected edition of poems by Sumarokov, ‘the first truly modern writer in the history of Russian literature’ (Terras). The author of plays and literary critical essays, Sumarokov was also renowned for his lyrical verse, very popular at court and among the educated youth. This edition gathers Sumarokov’s most successful poems – often revised, with the addition of unpublished ones – into four sections: Stikhotvoreniia dukhovnye, Ody torzhestvennye, Elegii and Eklogi . A masterful blend of neoclassicism and sentimentalism, they contributed to innovate literary Russian. His poetry sold at especially high prices even at the time (Smirnov-Sokol’skii). RBH records no other copies having been sold at auction. SK XVIII 7029, Sopikov 1153, Kilgour 1141 (similarly wanting last leaf with register). Not in Smirnov-Sokol’skii, Moia biblioteka . V. Terras, Handbook of Russian Literature , p. 453. Octavo (190 x 110mm). (Wanting the last leaf with the register, uniform toning, title dust-soiled, occasional spotting, intermittent light marginal waterstaining, small paper flaw to lower outer blank corner of one leaf). Contemporary tree calf, spine gilt, gilt-lettered morocco label (rebacked with onlaid spine, extremities and boards repaired, later ffep). Provenance: indistinct contemporary autograph (title) – rubbed library stamp (rear pastedown).