Flaubert was responsible for popularizing what was, in 1850s France at least, a relatively new and unknown approach to writing. Literary realism as it was to become known, rejected the idealistic stories and plots of the past, and instead chose to focus on the ordinariness of everyday life and those things that are most familiar to readers.
His acclaimed, Madame Bovary, with its story of doctor's wife, Emma Bovery, and her various adulterous affairs, is a case in point. The plot is simple and almost predictable by today's liberal standards, but its success came from its accessibility and familiarity to ordinary people - as well as the minor public scandal it caused. Flaubert disliked sentimental and flowery prose, and instead concentrated on telling the story in simple but detailed language.
Madam Bovery was the novel that made Flaubert's reputation, but for writing about such a controversial subject he went to trial on obscenity charges and narrowly escaped prison. He also suffered for his art in more mundane ways; searching for perfection, Flaubert would agonize over every words meaning that it could take days just to complete one page. Flaubert's approach to writing meant that it took more than five years to complete Madame Bovary; his next two novels (Salammbo and Sentimental Education) took a further eleven years to complete.
Published in France in 1857, it took some years for English translations of Madame Bovery to become available. However, in 1886 Eleanor Marx Aveling (daughter of Karl Marx) completed her translation and the resulting work was published by Vizetelly and Co. Flaubert's work is unusual to find at auction but first editions of this translation can reach $3,000.
Flaubert is a much-respected writer today. His limited catalogue of works is testament to the efforts he put into each one. While some of his contemporaries were churning out a novel a year, Flaubert focussed on creating high quality, innovative work that can still be appreciated as such today.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Michel Levy freres, Paris (1862). Moeurs de Province; First issue withSenart on the dedication page, 232; Two volumes in one.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Michel Levy, Paris (1863). 2000 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. L'education sentimentale. Michel Levy Freres, Paris (1870). Histoire dun jeune homme; 2 volumes.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation De Saint-Antoine. Charpentier and Cie, Paris (1874). First Edition containing the text of the third version of the manuscript prepared by Flaubert; 2000 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Le Candidat. Charpentier et C., Paris (1874). Comedie en quatre actes, par Gustave Flaubert, representee sur le theatre du Vaudeville les 11, 12, 13 et 14 mars 1874.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Alphonse Lemerre, Paris (1885). 12 gravures hors texte de Albert Fourie; 100 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Saxon and Co., London (1885). First English translation from French by M. French Sheldon; Eight illustrations from the French edition.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Vizetelly and Co., London (1886). Provincial Manners; Translated from the French edition definitive by Eleanor Marx-Aveling. 1st English edition.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Saxon and Co., London (1886). A realistic romance of ancient Carthage; Translated from the French edition definitive by J.S. Chartres; With a portrait of the author etched by Bocourt Englished by M. French Sheldon; Translation authorised by the heirs of Gustave Flaubert. First English edition.
Flaubert, Gustave. Herodias. A. Ferroud, Paris (1892). Preface par Anatole France; Total 500 copies; 200 copies on Arches paper; illustrated with 21 original etchings, 4 hors-texte, by Georges Rochegrosse, engraved by E. Champolion, each of the etchings in 2 states; The total number of etchings is 42, 25 of them hors-texte.
Flaubert, Gustave. Un coeur simple. A. Ferroud, Paris (1894). Total 500 copies; 200 exemplaires numerotes sur grand velin d'Arches; Preface par A. De Claye; Illustre de 23 eaux-fortes d'Emile Adan gravees par Champollion.
Flaubert, Gustave. La legende de Saint-Julien l'hospitalier. A. Ferroud, Paris (1895). Illustree de 26 compositions par Luc-Olivier Merson, gravees a leau-forte par Gery-Richard; Preface par Marcel Schwob; Total 500 copies; 200 de tete sur grand velin d'Arches
Flaubert, Gustave. The Temptation of Saint Antony. H.S. Nichols (1895). Translated By D.F. Hannigan; Illustrated with Nine Original Designs After S. Gorski; No limitation is provided but similar productions by Nichols and his partner Leonard Smithers ran to 10 copies
Flaubert, Gustave. Bouvard and Pecuchet. H.S. Nichols, London (1896). First UK edition; Translated and introduced by D.F. Hannigan; Nine tissue-guarded black and white plates by S. Gorski
Flaubert, Gustave. Sentimental Education. H.S. Nichols Ltd, London (1898). a Young Mans History: Translated from the French with an Introduction by D.F. Hannigan; Illustrated with Seventeen original designs after S. Gorski; TWO VOLUMES.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. A. Ferroud, Paris (1900). Total 600 copies; 20 deluxe examples on hand-madegrand velin d'Arches; Text by Gustave Flaubert illustrated with 52 black and white etchings by Georges Rochegrosse (engraved by Champollion); 2 volumes.
Flaubert, Gustave. Un Coeur Simple. Eragny Press, London (1901). With wood-engraved frontispiece by Lucien Pissarro and with borders and initials after Lucien Pissarro cut in wood by Esther Pissarro; 226 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. The Complete Works of Gustave Flaubert. Walter Dunne, New York (1904). 10 Volumes; Total 1250 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Legende de Saint Julien l'Hospitalier. Societe normande du livre illustre (1906). Facsimile dun manuscrit calligraphie, enlumine et historie par Malatesta; 170 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Premiere Tentation De Saint Antoine. A. Ferroud, Paris (1908). The appendix contains notes on the three versions and a bibliography of works consulted by Flaubert for each, accompanied by explanatory notes provided by Dr. Paul Dorveaux; compositions de Georges Rochegrosse gravees en couleur par E. Decisy; 350 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Correspondance. Conard, Paris (1910). en 5 volumes in-8; (1830-1880).
Flaubert, Gustave. The Temptation of St. Anthony. Harriman, New York (1910). Translated by Lafcadio Hearn.
Flaubert, Gustave. Die Sage von Sankt Julian dem Gastfreien. Gustav Kiepenheuer, Potsdam-Berlin (1919). Deutsch von Else von Hollander; 12 full-page original black and white lithographs by Max Kaus.
Flaubert, Gustave. Bucherwahn. Landhausvlg, Jena (1921). Richard v. Schaukal; Novelle, Deutsch von Richard von Schaukal; 40 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Oeuvres completes illustrees. Librairie de France, Paris (1921). Edition du Centenaire; 12 volumes; Illustrations en noir et en couleurs de Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac, Pierre Girieud, Alfred Lombard, Achille Ouvre, Bernard Naudin, Felix Vallotton, Rene Piot, Antoine Bourdelle, G. Dufrenoy, P. Laprade.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation De Saint Anthony. G. Boutitie, Paris (1922). 1050 copies; Illustrated with many colored woodcut plates, each with tissue guard, as well as many b/w woodcuts interspersed in text (which is in French) by Drouart, Raphael
Flaubert, Gustave. L'Education sentimentale. Librairie de France, Paris (1922). Illustrations de Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac; 8 volumes.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Le Livre, Paris (1923). Total 1030 copies; illustrated with many small black and white woodcut decorations and 6 original hors-texte woodcuts by F.-L. Schmied
Flaubert, Gustave. Par les champs et par les greves. L.Carteret, Paris (1924). Total 250 copies; Seul papier. 53 eaux-fortes (42 in-texte, 6 en-tetes, 5 culs-de-lampe, 1 frontispice et 1 vignette de titre)
Flaubert, Gustave. Oeuvres completes illustrees. Librairie de France, Paris (1925). 15 tomes en 12 volumes (complet); Edition du centenaire; illustrateurs differents dont Alfred Lombard, Pierre Girieud, Bernard Naudin, Pierre Laprade, Dunoyer de Segonzac, etc
Flaubert, Gustave. Herodias. chez Plicque, Paris (1926). Illustre par Raphael FREIDA avec 8 illustrations hors - texte , 3 lettrines et culs -de-lamps; Total 475 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint Antoine. Henry Reynaud, Paris (1926). 20 full color pochoir illustrations printed on Imperial Japon paper with an additional suite of the same 20 images bound in throughout on Arches paper; Total 343 copies; 30 deluxe copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary Moeurs De Province. Carteret, Paris (1927). Moeurs de Provincel; Nouvelle edition illustree deaux-fortes originales en couleurs par William FEL.; Total 300 copies; 2 volumes.
Flaubert, Gustave. UN COEUR SIMPLE. Ferroud, Paris (1928). 25 exemplaires sur velin de Hollande, quatre etats. 13 planches en couleurs tirees a la poupee, avec une suite des illustration en noir de Fred Money; Total 1525 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint-Antoine. Cyral, Paris (1930). Illustrations in colours by DANIEL-GIRARD; 1021 numbered copies
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Javal et Bourdeaux, Paris (1930). Moeurs de province; 25 Eaux-fortes originales de Charles Huard (22 hors-texte et 3 bandeaux); 525 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Mandrake Press, London (1930). translation J. W. Matthews with a foreword by Arthur Symons; Total 1000 copies; 500 copies for England. Color plates and monochrome illustrations by Haydn Mackey.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Auguste Blaizot, paris (1931). Moeurs De Province; Nouvelle Edition Imprimee Sur Celle De 1874 Revue Par Lauteur; illustree de 56 aquarelles de Leandre gravees a leau-forte en couleurs et au reperage par Decisy; 336 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Salambo. Golden Cockerel Press, Paris (1931). wood engravings by Robert Gibbings; Limited edition 500 copies; Total 1070 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint Antoine. Editions Ambroise Vollard, Paris (1933). 22 lithographies originales sur Chine d'Odilon Redon et 14 vignettes dans le texte; 220 exemplaires
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint-Antoine. Editions Ambroise Vollard, Paris (1935). Total 130 copies; with 40 engravings (28 full-page) after Odilon Redons three series of drawings from 1888, 1889 and 1896
Flaubert, Gustave. Saint-Julien l'Hospitalier. Imprimeries reunies, Lyon (1935). Preface de J. Rousset; Presentation de l'artiste par Henri Beraud; Illustre par Adrien Godien
Flaubert, Gustave. L'education Sentimentale. La Tradition, Paris (1937). Total 550 copies; 2 volumes; 51 pointes seches originales en couleurs dont 13 hor texte de Paul Emile Becat.
Flaubert, Gustave. La tentation de St-Antoine. Paris (imprime par lartiste) (1939). Avec une introduction de Paul Valery et des illustrations de J.-G. Daragnes; total 1480 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. LA LEGENDE DE SAINT JULIEN L'HOSPITALIER. Courbouleix, vers (1940). Total 300 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. TENTATION DE ST. ANTOINE. Insita Cruce Cor Floret, France (1942). Total 1480 copies; Illustre de 25 bois originaux, dont 10 hors texte, de lettrines et de culs-de-lampe graves en couleurs par Daragnes; Introduction de Paul Valery
Flaubert, Gustave. La Tentation de Saint de Saint Antoine. La Tradition, Paris, France (1943). illustres de 33 eaux-fortes originales de F. Hertenberger; 300 exemplaires
Flaubert, Gustave. The Temptation Of Saint Anthony. The Limited Editions Club, New York (1943). Translated By Lafcadio Hearn; 15 coloured lithographs (8 full-page and 7 headpieces) By Warren Chappell; Total 1500 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. La Bonne Compagnie, Paris (1945). Moeurs de province; Edition tiree a 1000 exemplaires.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. P.Cailler, Geneve (1946). Les grands romans francais illustres 1; 18 lithographies originales en sanguine de Benjamin Vautier; 270 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Un Coeur Simple. Editions De La Cite, Paris (1946). 450 exemplaires; Edition illustree de 15 eaux-fortes originales en couleurs par Charles Genty; Charmantes eaux-fortes originales en couleurs de Charles Genty.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Editions Vialetay-Vairel, Paris (1949). Illustrations : Hermine DAVID - Gaston BARRET - Eddy LEGRAND - Jacques BOULLAIRE - Louis B. SAINT ANDRE - Louis TOUCHAGUES - J. Gaston MANTEL; Illustre de 30 lithographies originales en noir reproduite hor texte de Mariette Lydis; Total 2500 copies; Moeurs de province - Trois contes. Par les champs et par les greves - Salambo. Lettres a propos de Salambo - Bouvard et Pecuchet. Le Dictionnaire des Idees recues - La Tentation de Saint Antoine. Voyages 1840 - Voyage en Orient.
Flaubert, Gustave. Oeuvres Illustres. Les Editions Nationales, paris (1950). 7 volumes; Total 2500 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary Moeurs De Province. Jean Porson, Paris (1951). 2 volumes; 115 etchings (including 2 cover illustrations and 2 vignettes; 6 hors-texte) by Georges Visat; 170 Copies; The text was printed by R.Jacquet; Eaux-Fortes Originales De Michel Ciry.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Gibert Jeune, Librarie DAmateurs, Paris (1953). moeurs de Province; 16 color plates by Umberto Brunelleschi, lettrines et culs-de-lampe de A.-M. Vergnes; Total 3000 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. The Selected Letters of Flaubert. Farrar, Straus and Young, Inc., New York (1953). Francis Steegmuller (translation, editing, Introduction); The Great Letters Series
Flaubert, Gustave. Salammbo. Limited Editions Club, New York (1960). 1500 copies; With An Introduction By Justin Obrien; Illustrated with 8 double-page colour plates and colophon tail-piece, line drawn decorated title-page and 39 illustrations; Ivory buckram, decorated backstrip by Edward Bawden.
Flaubert, Gustave. Jules und Henry, oder Die Schule des Herzens. Propylaen Verlag, Berlin (1971). supplemented by 25 full-page illustrations by German-born artist Peter Ackermann. The frontispiece is an engraved print by Ackermann; Total 1000 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. The Temptation of Saint Anthony. The Allen Press, Kentfield (1974). A Dramatic Fantasy; Translated by Lafcadio Hearn and Edited by Francis Carmody; 24 illustrations from early 19th-century sources used by Flaubert; full-page wood-engraving of Saint Anthony by Odilon Redon; 140 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. MADAME BOVARY. Easton Press, Norwalk (1978). Translated by J. Lewis May; Introduction by Jacques de Lacretelle; Illustrations by Pierre Brissaud engraved in wood by Theo Schmied.
Flaubert, Gustave. Bouvard und Pecuchet. Frankfurt am Main, Eichborn (2003). 2000 copies.
Flaubert, Gustave. Madame Bovary. Penguin Books, London (2006). DESIGNED BY MANOLO BLAHNIK; 1000 copies.