Name of Object:

Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des mille et une nuits), Translation by J.C. Mardrus of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a Thousand and One Nights

Location:

Lisbon, Portugal

Holding Institution:

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

 About Modern Art Centre, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon

Date of Object:

Paris: F.L. Schmied, 1926

Inventory Number:

LM411

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Binding: black and green morocco by Georges Bretté (1893–1969), with one lacquered plate by Jean Dunond (1877–1942)

Dimensions:

28.6 x 24.2 cm

Description:

François-Louis Schmied (1873–1941) and Jean Dunand (1877–1942) worked together on Histoire de la Princess Boudour, the French translation of one of the tales from The Arabian Nights by J.-C- Mardrus. The painter, illustrator, engraver, bookbinder and publisher François-Louis Schmied was primarily responsible for producing the graphic design and handling of the text, the illustrations and their wood interpretations. Dunand produced a lacquered metal plaque that transmitted the eroticism and voluptuousness revealed throughout the text. Using warm colours, Princess Boudour is portrayed on a red ground sprinkled with gold, and appears as a very elongated, tubular figure holding a flower with both hands. It’s a limited edition, just twenty copies, it’s a extremely rare Art Deco book.

Type of Object

Book

Citation of this web page:

Manuela Fidalgo "Histoire de la Princesse Boudour (Conte des mille et une nuits), Translation by J.C. Mardrus of The Story of the Princess Boudour: Tales of a Thousand and One Nights" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;pt;35;en

Prepared by: Manuela FidalgoManuela Fidalgo

Chief Curator at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon.

MWNF Working Number: PT 076