RONSARD (Pierre de). Florilège des Amours. Paris, Albert Skira, 1948. In-folio, leaves, untrimmed, illustrated cover, illustrated publisher's purple half-velvet folder and slipcase. Illustrated with 128 lithographs, including 2 on the cover, one as a frontispiece, 27 hors texte, including one double-page spread, in sanguine by Henri Matisse. The original idea for the book came from Matisse himself, who told André Rouveyre in 1941 that he wanted to illustrate Ronsard's Amours. It would take almost seven years to complete. It was Matisse himself who chose the texts for this Florilège, seeking on Rouveyre's advice "a spark between each poem and himself". Edition of 320 copies on tinted Arches vellum signed by the artist and publisher, this being one of 250 numbered copies. A splendid work, in near mint condition. Small brown spots on the beards, as always. Duthuit, p. 192. Henri Matisse L'Art du livre. Musée Matisse, 1986, p. 60.