London: Elkin Matthews, 1916. First edition. One of fifty copies numbered and initialed by Jean de Bosschère. A Near Fine copy. With twelve illustrations hand-colored by the author. Publisher's orange paper boards printed in black. Spine and edges of boards a bit sunned. A bit of edgewear. Small ink ownership inscription, dated 1928, to upper free endpaper. Toning to half-title and final page, otherwise quite clean throughout. Bookseller's ticket (Osborne Book Shop, New York) to lower pastedown. An appealing copy of a scarce work.

With text in French and English and an illustration for each, 12 Occupations captures the essence of twelve professionals in a playful, abstracted style: the chair and table maker, the rope-maker, the sledge-maker, the mosaic worker, the jeweller, the electrician, the mirror-maker, the glover, the geographer, and the alchemist. 12 Occupations was one of the earliest published works by the Belgian artist Jean de Bosschère (1878 – 1953), who later became known for his Aubrey Beardsley-inspired Art Nouveau illustrations. De Bosschère's artwork eventually appeared alongside the poetry of writers like Charles Baudelaire and Oscar Wilde, as well as editions of classical works like Ovid's Ars Amatoria and Apuleius' Golden Ass. Near Fine (Item #8092)