Prize binding in full burgundy calf with marbled endpapers and edges. Professionally re-backed in dyed calf retaining original spine.

F.B.A. provides an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feel and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available.

Lucien Biard(French: Lucien Biard; Lucien Biart(21 June 1829 – 18 March 1897) was a French naturalist, poet and traveller. He studied natural science and pharmacy and at a young age went to Latin America, where he initially taught chemistry and botany in Mexico, worked as a pharmacist in Orizaba, collaborated with the scientific commission of Mexico; traveled extensively around the country, studying its nature and the way of life and culture of Indian peoples. In America, he collected rich collections of birds and insects for French botanical gardens, received a doctorate in medicine from the Puebla Academy and returned to France after almost 20 years of absence.

Along with descriptions of Mexican and South American life and nature: “La Terre chaude” (1862), “La Terre tempéré” (1866), “Aventures d’un jeune naturaliste” (1869), “A travers l’Amérique” (1876, awarded by the French Academy), “Les voyages involontaires” (1880-1883), “Les explorations inconnues” (1882-1884), “Les Aztèques” (1885) and others – he also published collections of poems: “Les Mexicaines” (1853), “Présent et Passé” (1859) and a number of novels: «Benito Vasquez» (1869); «Pile et face» (1870); «Laborde et C-ie» (1872); «Les Clientes du docteur Bernagius» (1873); «L’eau dormante» (1875); «Mémoires du docteur Bernagius» (1880); «Les ailes brûlées» (1881); «Jeanne de Maurice» (1882); Quand j’étais petit (1886; memoirs of childhood).

Many of Biar’s works have been translated into Russian; Especially popular were “The Adventures of a Young Naturalist” translated by Mark Vovchok (1872). From 1871 to 1873 he wrote drama-feuilletons for France; he is also the author of a French translation of Don Quixote(1878, 4 vols. 18), a long preface for which, however, remained unpublished, was written by Prosper Mérimée.