LE MARIAGE CHRÉTIEN
1882ST19567-178Paris: Jules Gervais 1882. Sixth Edition. 160 x 115 mm. 6 1/4 x 4 1/2". 400 pp. <br/> Pleasing deep brown morocco by Fonteney stamp-signed on the verso of the front flyleaf raised bands spine lettered in gilt wide turn-ins gilt tooled patterned endleaves all edges gilt. Engraved frontispiece depicting St. Elizabeth by Friedrich Ludy after Friedrich Overbeck; each page with a decorative figural border. Minor foxing to preliminary leaves very slightly foxed elsewhere otherwise a fine copy the text quite clean bright and fresh and the binding unworn and exceptionally lustrous.<br/> <br/> Decoratively printed and attractively bound this volume on Christian marriage and family life is a delightful example of late 19th century French book production. Its author Félix-Antoine-Philibert Dupanloup 1802-78 was the bishop of Orléans and a proponent of liberal Catholicism in France throughout the 19th century. Alongside teaching and pastoral duties he authored several works on religious matters throughout his career. Initially published in 1869 the present work on "Christian Marriage" went on to become a very popular work remaining in print into the second decade of the 20th century. One wonders if its popularity was as much due to the beauty of the work as its contents: each page is graced with detailed engraved borders laden with scrolling foliage and rich Christian imagery executed with delicacy and panache. This copy is pleasing in its highly polished morocco exterior its lacy inner dentelles and its attractive patterned endleaves. Jules Gervais unknown
