Dumas' Romances: The chevalier d'Harmental

The Chevalier d'Harmental was originally serialized in 1842, marking a significant milestone in Alexandre Dumas's career as his first major historical collaboration with Auguste Maquet. Set during the Regency period in France, the narrative revolves around the Cellamare Conspiracy against the Regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans. This partnership between Dumas and Maquet would eventually define the high-adventure literary style of the nineteenth century, establishing the rapid pacing and intricate plotting that characterized Dumas's subsequent masterpieces.

The design of this specific edition reflects the tradition of the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century library sets that brought Dumas’s extensive bibliography to English-speaking audiences. These volumes were typically produced for the home collector, often featuring ornate cloth bindings and gold-leaf lettering designed to signify both literary substance and aesthetic elegance. The works were received as foundational texts of historical fiction, balancing rigorous research with the dramatic flair that remains the hallmark of Dumas’s enduring legacy.