The first spanish editions of "Perrault's Fairy Tales" illustrated by Gustave Doré

Abstract

In March 1863, a Spanish edition of Perrault’s Fairy Tales, illustrated by Gustave Doré, was
published by Ledoux-Brachet. This is the first foreign reissue of Hetzel’s edition from 1861, which
includes all the texts, although it only takes some of Doré’s images. We will compare the specific
characteristics of Ledoux’s Spanish edition with Hetzel’s French edition, and show how it takes the
editorial project towards a more commercial oriented model, drifting away from the original artistic
and illustrative program.
But the history of Doré’s illustrations of Perrault’s tales in Spain did not begin with the Ledoux
edition. Indeed, as early as 1862, a book was published by La Maravilla, with illustrations by Patuflet
that looked like Doré’s. We will focus on four of them which are almost plagiarism, with differences, however, that highlight the original images and Doré’s strong illustrative project.
Keywords: Perrault’s Fairy Tales, Gustave Doré, Fairy tales and illustrations, The Fairies, Pussin-
boots