A refined and collectible mid-century edition of Tolstoy’s moral tales, Stories and Legends gathers some of the author’s most timeless parables — including “What Men Live By” and “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” — in a beautifully crafted presentation.
This edition, published by Pantheon Books in the late 1940s, reflects the press’s golden era under Kurt and Helen Wolff, when fine literature and elegant book design met seamlessly. The volume features wonderful and surreal chiaroscuro illustrations by Alexandre Alexeieff, whose mezzotint artistry perfectly complements Tolstoy’s luminous simplicity and spiritual insight. Translation is by Louise and Aylmer Maude. Introduction is by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.
The binding showcases decorative paper-covered boards with a linen (quarter cloth) spine, typical of Pantheon’s small-press aesthetic of the period. A remarkable fusion of literary and visual art that highlights the beautiful aesthetic of the 1940s.
Condition: Excellent. Clean pages, tight binding, and a well-preserved exterior with minimal shelf wear.
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Illustrator: Alexandre Alexeieff
Publisher: Pantheon Books, New York
Year: c.1946–47 (undated)
Binding: Hardcover, decorative paper boards with linen spine
