Madame de – Deluxe

Madame de by Louise de Vilmorin is the fourth title in the Dédale series, published in collaboration with L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts. First released in 1951, it is arguably the French author’s most celebrated work. The novel unfolds in a rarefied, timeless atmosphere, where small, seemingly insignificant events gradually come to form a sophisticated yet relentless plot that ensnares characters and readers alike. The story centres around a pair of diamonds, sold secretly by Madame de..., the elegant yet frivolous heroine whom the author may have partly modelled on herself, in order to settle her debts – thus setting in motion the chain of events. Around them, a handful of characters are portrayed with delicacy, if with only a few defining strokes.
This new edition features original drawings created specially by Laurent de Commines. Louise de Vilmorin’s work is introduced by a preface by Patrick Mauriès and an essay by Emmanuelle Amiot, which explores the role of the diamond in Western culture and thought, broadening the reflection on the deeper meaning of jewellery and its significance in society across the centuries.