Races

1871 · 25380 — Barcelona: Librería Española de I. Lopez 1871. First Edition. First title 4to; 462pp; chromolithographic half-title and advertising leaf; woodcut illustrations in text one chromolithographic plate at end of text. Second title in two parts with separate title pages as issued comprising: First Series hojas 1-22; 174pp; Second Series hojas 1-8 64pp. All three parts bound as one in recent black quarter-leather over decorated boards. General toning with occasional foxing to contents; probable trimming to margins; color plates still bright and clean; Very Good. A popular and sensational account for Spanish readers of the Paris Commune and its aftermath. The first title provides a general narrative of events heavily illustrated with portraits of the principal figures among both the communards and their opposition as well as documentary images of Paris in the throes of insurrection. Of special interest is the vividly colored half-title a striking portrayal of women revolutionaries the so-called "petroleuses" in action marching forth with guns and swords while Paris burns in the background. <br /> <br /> The second title issued in 30 serial parts of 8 to 12 pages each all present here provides a daily account of the state trials of the Commune's leaders that followed the insurrection beginning in August 1871 military tribunals through the summer had already resulted in the incarceration execution or deportation of more than 10000 rank-and-file communards. The proceedings include abridged transcriptions of the major pieces of testimony with woodcut portraits of convicts and prosecutors; title-pages of most issues are illustrated either with portraits or views. The Second Series beginning with the issue for September 4th 1871 deals heavily with the trials of the petroleuses. <br /> <br /> Both titles rare; OCLC gives four locations for the Jornadas Yale only in North America; seven locations for the Proceso of which three are in the U.S. Yale N'Western Michigan. A facsimile edition of the Jornadas was issued by a Spanish publisher in 1979. We would note that two extant copies of the Jornadas are bound as with our copy together with the Proceso suggesting that the publisher issued at least some copies in this format. We would also note that a Spanish government publication apparently a complete transcript of the state trials shares its title with the Proceso but given that it was issued by a different printer and runs to some 700 pages we presume little actual overlap in terms of contents. Librería Española de I. Lopez unknown