The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray stands as the definitive masterpiece of the late 19th-century Decadent movement, weaving a dark Gothic tale of vanity, moral decay, and aesthetic obsession. The narrative centers on a remarkably handsome young man who sells his soul to preserve his youthful beauty, allowing a painted portrait to bear the grotesque physical scars of his hidden sins and hedonistic lifestyle. As Dorian remains untouched by time, his increasingly horrific double life exposes a cutting critique of societal hypocrisy and the corrupting nature of absolute selfishness.

This specific 1913 volume is an incredibly scarce Continental printing issued under the imprint of Ye Olde Paris Booke-Shoppe, operating out of 11 Rue de Châteaudun in Paris. Published simultaneously with the London firm Simpkin, Marshall & Co., this volume utilized the text prepared by Charles Carrington and includes an essential introductory note by Robert Ross, Wilde’s devoted friend and literary executor.

The historical timing of this Paris edition is highly significant, emerging just over a decade after Wilde’s tragic death in exile in a Parisian hotel room. During a period when Wilde's work was still heavily stigmatized and effectively suppressed in conservative British circles, the progressive publishing avenues of Paris kept his literary legacy alive. Today, this beautiful 1913 artifact captures the exact moment Wilde’s classic was transitioning from a scandalous piece of forbidden literature into an undisputed canon of psychological fiction.

Green cloth binding with gilt-stamped accents, lettering, and gilded top edges. Deckled fore and bottom edge. Some softening to head and foot of spine. Some foxing throughout accumulating mainly in the marginal spaces. Blind-stamped stationary impression and ink inscription to preliminary flyleaf dated Jan 1914. Very good condition overall.