Book Description
A painter who became a novelist, Théophile Gautier formulated the notion of “art for art’s sake.” In this literary gem, the gaze is the central character as the eye of the beholder turns deadly.
Paul d’ Aspremont, on holiday in Italy, meets his fiancée in all but name, a young English girl named Alicia Ward. What begins as an urbane and courtly affair descends into a Gothic nightmare as Paul is revealed to possess the “evil eye,” a jinx that kills all those he befriends. Novelist, poet, and critic, Théophile Gautier was a key figure in the Romantic movement in France. With a Foreword by Gilbert Adair.
Publisher comments
Hesperus Press, as suggested by their Latin motto, Et remotissima prope, is dedicated to bringing near what is far—far both in space and time. Works by illustrious authors, often unjustly neglected or simply little known in the English–speaking world, are made accessible through a completely fresh editorial approach or new translations. Through these short classic works, which feature forewords by leading contemporary authors, the modern reader will be introduced to the greatest writers of Europe and America. An elegantly designed series of exceptional books.
