Description
The most sought-after edition
of the Description de la France sous le règne de Louis XV,
decorated with 55 folding engraved maps and plans.
The splendid copy belonging to Marie-Joséphine-Louise de Savoie,
comtesse de Provence (1753-1810),
preserved in its red contemporary morocco with her arms.
Piganiol de La Force, Jean-Aymar. Nouvelle description de la France dans laquelle on voit le gouvernement général de ce royaume celui de chaque province en particulier ; Et la description des Villes, Maisons Royales, Châteaux et Monumens les plus remarquables. Troisième édition corrigée et considérablement augmentée.
Paris, T. Legras, 1753.
13 volumes 12mo.
Followed by:
Introduction à la description de la France et au droit public de ce royaume, qui comprend tout ce qui s’observe auprès du Roi, l’état de sa maison, ses titres, ses prérogatives, son cérémonial, ses officiers et ceux de sa couronne.
Paris, T. Legras, 1753.
2 volumes 12mo.
In total, 15 volumes 12mo [171 x 95 mm]. Full red morocco, triple gilt fillets around the covers, arms stamped in gilt in the center, ribbed spine with gilt fleurons, gilt fillet on leading edges, inner gilt roll-stamp, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
The most esteemed edition, seeing as it was considerably enlarged, of the main book on ancient France by Piganiol de La Force.
The first edition was published in 1718.
The book had been written in large part based on the memos that the intendants of each province had written, following the instructions of the duc de Bourgogne.
Catalogue Pichon, n°914 ; Sander, n°1558.
The book gives us a precise and lively overview of 18th century France.
It contains 32 engraved folding maps of the provinces of ancient France and 23 maps of towns and citadels.
The last two volumes are a sort of digest of public law in Louis XV’s France, of the court ceremonials and an overview of the ecclesiastic, civil and military government of the kingdom.
A sumptuous and precious copy bound in contemporary red morocco with the arms of Marie-Joséphine de Savoie, comtesse de Provence (1753-1810).
“Of a very liberal spirit, Louise de Savoie had her hour of popular glory when she defended, at the beginning of the Revolution, what she herself called the “rights of the nation”, and the echo of the tense conversation she had with the queen Marie-Antoinette earned her on several occasions the applause of the crowd.
The comtesse de Provence, like her husband who spoke to the muses and as an amateur of books, had a great taste for literature and the arts. Her library was composed very intelligently.” (E. Quentin Bauchart, II, pp. 309-330)
