Jacques Besongne - Histoire de Rouen - 1777

[HISTORY OF ROUEN / NORMANDY]. — ABSTRACT OF THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ROUEN (ROUEN, BESONGNE, 1778). Rouen: J. J. Besongne, 1778. In-12. Half-mound marbled calf of the 19th century, spine with a smooth gilt ornament. Fine Rouen imprint from the late 18th century published by Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Besongne, historic printer established on the Cour du Palais in Rouen. This abridgment offers a remarkable documentary synthesis on the duchal and Norman city on the eve of the French Revolution. It paints a vivid picture of ecclesiastical and civil institutions, maritime trade on the Seine, and Rouen’s architectural heritage. A well-preserved copy in a 19th-century marbled calf binding. Spine smooth, neat and well adorned; edges clean and corners firmly held. Interior on period laid paper showing a light damp-stain and old watermarks visible on the title page and in the text body (not affecting legibility). The historical memory of the capital of Normandy in the Age of Enlightenment: The Besongne printing dynasty dominated book life in Rouen for more than a century. Settled directly beneath the Cour du Palais de Justice, their workshops printed Normandie customs and the most prized patrimonial narratives.

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