La Nausée.

FIRST EDITION. One of 40 numbered copies on Alfa paper, second paper. This copy is one of 15 out-of-commerce copies.

Sartre's first novel, which immediately brought him success, Nauseais the foundational novel of existentialism. It takes the form of the intimate diary of Antoine Roquentin, a solitary historian living in Bouville. Through his daily reflections, he discovers the absurdity of the world and the inconsistency of beings and things. A physical sensation, "nausea," overwhelms him when he perceives the contingency of existence: nothing has meaning, everything is "superfluous." Gradually, Roquentin emancipates himself from social and moral conventions to affirm the radical freedom of man, solely responsible for giving meaning to his life. Sartre blends introspection, philosophy, and poetic prose, making this text a meditation on raw existence.

Our copy is enhanced with an AUTOGRAPH DEDICATION SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR to Princess Shakovskoy: "to Princess Shakovskoi with the homage of Jean-Paul Sartre"

Zinaida Schakovskoy / Schakovskoi (the fluctuation in the spelling of Russian names is common), known as Princess Schakovskoy, a member of an important Russian princely family, was born in Moscow in 1908 and emigrated to Europe in 1919 following the troubles of the revolution.

A writer, historian, and biographer – she notably published works on Nabokov – she is also known as a contributor to literary and cultural magazines (Revue des Deux Mondes, to name just one).

A year before Sartre, André Breton dedicated a copy of L'Amour Fou to her: "to Madame Schakovskoi, respectful homage" (Alde sale 28.10.2011, lot 50), but doubt remains about the identity of the dedicatee "perhaps it is Princess Zinaida Schakovskoy." Our copy has the merit of being clearer and specifies her title as Princess.

Zinaida Schakovskoy passed away in 2001 in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois.

An extremely desirable copy in a P. L. Martin binding, especially when placed alongside Sartre's other masterpieces in their homogeneous bindings.