This is two collectibles in one. The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson — the cornerstone of American Transcendentalism, the book that gave us "Self-Reliance" and the philosophy of individualism that shaped American thought — illustrated by John Steuart Curry, one of the celebrated triumvirate of American Regionalist painters alongside Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton. A literary classic and a piece of American art history, bound together in one 1944 Illustrated Modern Library edition.
The Illustrated Modern Library was a prestige publication series, pairing important literary texts with significant artists — and the pairing here is genuinely remarkable. The slipcase survives, which is worth noting: many copies have lost theirs over 80 years, and its presence gives this edition the completeness and presence of a true collector's volume.
Vintage condition — extensive wear to the slipcase and page discoloration consistent with age. Measures 7.75" x 5" x 1". Ships from Altadena, CA.
