1674 - L'Art de bien traiter. A Paris: FIRST EDITION ONE OF THE RAREST GASTRONOMY BOOK OF XVII CENTURY

First Edition of one of the rarest gastronomy book of XVII century

le Sieur, Robert. L'Art de bien traiter; divisé en trois parties. Ouvrage nouveau, curieux, et fort galant ... Mis en lumiere, par L[e] S[ieur] R[obert]. A Paris : chez Jean Du Puis, ruë S. Jacques à la Couronne d'or, 1674.

8vo (249 x 190 mm), contemporary stiff vellum binding, pp. [4] 413, [1], Signature: a² A-R¹² S⁴, for the name of the author cfr. BNF, Catalogue BN-OPALE PLUS, xylographic headletter and decorations.

The most representative book of the revival of French cuisine in the classical age

First Edition of the rare and interesting treatise on gastronomy and cooking by Robert le Sieur. Attacking the traditional French cuisine embodied, at that time, by François Pierre de La Varenne, Le Sieur proposes a new style, many new recipes, and many other useful information to understand the gastronomy and customs at the end of the seventeenth century, details on the mise en place of the tables, including suggestions for outdoor dining (in caves, gardens, woods, etc.).

The preface of the text is remarkably interesting, with the details of the attack by Le Sieur to the famous gastronome and author of the time, La Varenne, author of the famous Cuisinier Francois, a work published in 1651 and reprinted several times until the printing of this text.

Only two editions are known, the present first edition, shared between the two printer Jean Du Puys and Frédéric Léonard (mentioned in the King's privilege) and a Lyonnaise reissue of 1693.

The book is formed by three parts:

Part I

· Les Potages (the soups)

· Des Entrées (Starters)

· Les viandes à rostir (Roast meats)

· Des Salades (Salad)

· Des Entremets (Savoury and side dishes)

· The dining room and Mise en place

· How to serve foods

· Detailed recipes for all the seasons

Part II

· Seafood and fishes

· Legumes

· Pastry

Part III

Dedicated to suggestion for indoor and outdoor dining, with specific menu for all seasons and mise en place.

Few details are known about the author of this treatise: " Ce personnage énigmatique est pourtant l'auteur du livre le plus représentatif du renouveau de la cuisine française à l'âge classique. Même s'il critique les archaïsmes, gueuseries et dégoûtantes leçons du cuisinier françois (…)Robert bouleverse moins les innovations de La Varenne qu'il ne les radicalise et les systématise (…). Tous ces choix tendent également à respecter le goût véritable des choses, dans la recherche d'une simplicité raffinée, désormais assimilée à la vraie délicatesse en matière de cuisine et fait de l'art culinaire l'un des lieux où s'éprouvent la politesse des moeurs". [ This enigmatic character is however the author of the most representative book of the revival of French cuisine in the classical age. Even if he criticizes the archaisms, gueuseries and disgusting lessons of the French cook (…) Robert upsets the innovations of La Varenne less than he radicalizes and systematizes them (…). All these choices also tend to respect the real taste of things, in the search for a refined simplicity, henceforth assimilated to the true delicacy in matters of cuisine and makes the culinary art one of the places where politeness is more experienced]. Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Livres en bouche, 115

Conditions: restoration at lower margin of title page, may be to erase signature, light mark of use along the text, last blank page S4 missing; overall a very good copy of an extremely rare treatise.

Provenance: Paper Ex-libris "Adiogene Giulemani" pasted at inside front board.

Bibliography: Vicaire, Bibliographie gastronomique, col. 891; Livres en bouche: cinq siècles d'art culinaire français, du quatorzième au dix-huitième siècle : [exposition, Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, 21 novembre 2001-17 février 2002; Cagle, 407; Bitting 518; Viel 173.