GOETHE, J. W. von - Essay on the Metamorphosis of Plants. Ve - Lot 182

GOETHE, J. W. von - Essay on the Metamorphosis of Plants. Versucht über die Metamorphose der Pflanzen. Translated by Frédéric Soret, and followed by historical notes. Stuttgart, L. G. Cotta, 1831. In-8, (2) ff, 239 (1) pp, russet, bilingual French-German text, ed. cardboard, folder, slipcase, front cover almost detached. HAGEN no. 214. BALDENSPERGER 1265. Letter from Goethe to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire: ''Herren Geoffroy de St Hilaire wissenschaftliche Theilnahme dankbar anerkennend. Weimar, Juni 30. 1831. G. W. Goethe.'' Small footnote: ''Ipsissima manu.'' This edition appeared in the context of the polemic between Cuvier and Geoffroy Saint Hilaire on the "theory of analogues" held at the Académie des Sciences in March 1830, which Goethe attended. He reported on it in a set of articles praising Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, which he had translated by Soret and sent to him. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, for his part, devoted an article to him entitled: Sur des écrits de Goethe donnant lui des droits au titre de savant naturaliste (Annales des Sciences Naturelles, February 1831, pp.188-193). In this edition, Goethe reworked Die Metamorphose des Pflanzen (1790), setting out his new research, its development and the impact it could have. In his letter, he thanks the French scientist for his "scientific participation". Provenance: - Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772 - 1844); - Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1805 - 1861) by descent ; - Louise Poulain d'Andecy (1857 - 1934), great-granddaughter of Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and granddaughter of Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, wife of Henri Poincaré in 1881; - By descent to current owner. This lot is unprecedented on the art market, remaining in the same family to this day.