1852 French Romantic Cartonnage Book, La Petite Reine Blanche ou Les Pastoureaux, with Hand-Colored Scenic Binding
1852 French Romantic Cartonnage Book, La Petite Reine Blanche ou Les Pastoureaux, with Hand-Colored Scenic Binding
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A particularly beautiful mid-19th-century French decorative book, La Petite Reine Blanche ou Les Pastoureaux, Épisode Historique du XIIIe Siècle, by J.-B.-J. Champagnac, published in Limoges by Barbou Frères in 1852.
The volume is housed in an unusually elaborate original cream, gilt and polychrome cartonnage binding, richly decorated with scrolling rococo-style ornament, flowers, colored accents and a large central landscape vignette. The front board depicts an exoticized romantic landscape with palms, distant architecture and figures in the foreground, framed by pink, gold and floral ornament. The reverse is similarly decorated with floral sprays and gilt architectural framing.
The spine is fully ornamented in gilt and color, with floral devices and decorative cartouches. Internally, the book includes engraved illustrations and a decorative illustrated title page.
The title translates approximately as “The Little Queen Blanche, or The Shepherds: A Historical Episode of the 13th Century.” The book belongs to the popular 19th-century French genre of educational and moralizing historical literature for young readers.
This is a particularly strong decorative example because of the large pictorial cover scene, surviving color, gilt ornament and charming romantic imagery.
Era
French, 1852
Second Republic / early Second Empire period
History
Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Champagnac was a prolific 19th-century French writer of educational, historical and juvenile literature. Works such as this blended history, morality and romantic storytelling and were often produced in decorative bindings intended to appeal to young readers and gift-book buyers.
The subject concerns Blanche of Castile and the Pastoureaux movement of the 13th century, presented through the romanticized lens typical of 19th-century historical literature.
The publisher Barbou Frères of Limoges was active in the production of illustrated, devotional, educational and juvenile books, including highly decorative editions such as this.
Provenance
French private collection / sourced in France.
No presentation inscription or school-prize label is visible in the photographs provided.
Materials
Paper
Decorated cartonnage-covered boards
Gilt decoration
Polychrome printed and/or hand-finished decoration
Engraved illustrations
Dimensions
Please add exact dimensions from physical measurement.
Disclaimers / Condition
Antique condition consistent with age and use. Visible rubbing, surface wear and discoloration to the binding, particularly at the edges, corners and spine. The decorative boards retain substantial original gilt and color, with age-related fading and scattered losses.
Interior pages show moderate to heavy foxing in places, particularly around the title matter, along with expected toning and occasional spotting. Binding appears intact overall from the photographs, though with expected wear associated with a book over 170 years old.
Please review all photographs closely as they form an important part of the condition description.
A particularly beautiful mid-19th-century French decorative book, La Petite Reine Blanche ou Les Pastoureaux, Épisode Historique du XIIIe Siècle, by J.-B.-J. Champagnac, published in Limoges by Barbou Frères in 1852.
The volume is housed in an unusually elaborate original cream, gilt and polychrome cartonnage binding, richly decorated with scrolling rococo-style ornament, flowers, colored accents and a large central landscape vignette. The front board depicts an exoticized romantic landscape with palms, distant architecture and figures in the foreground, framed by pink, gold and floral ornament. The reverse is similarly decorated with floral sprays and gilt architectural framing.
The spine is fully ornamented in gilt and color, with floral devices and decorative cartouches. Internally, the book includes engraved illustrations and a decorative illustrated title page.
The title translates approximately as “The Little Queen Blanche, or The Shepherds: A Historical Episode of the 13th Century.” The book belongs to the popular 19th-century French genre of educational and moralizing historical literature for young readers.
This is a particularly strong decorative example because of the large pictorial cover scene, surviving color, gilt ornament and charming romantic imagery.
Era
French, 1852
Second Republic / early Second Empire period
History
Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Champagnac was a prolific 19th-century French writer of educational, historical and juvenile literature. Works such as this blended history, morality and romantic storytelling and were often produced in decorative bindings intended to appeal to young readers and gift-book buyers.
The subject concerns Blanche of Castile and the Pastoureaux movement of the 13th century, presented through the romanticized lens typical of 19th-century historical literature.
The publisher Barbou Frères of Limoges was active in the production of illustrated, devotional, educational and juvenile books, including highly decorative editions such as this.
Provenance
French private collection / sourced in France.
No presentation inscription or school-prize label is visible in the photographs provided.
Materials
Paper
Decorated cartonnage-covered boards
Gilt decoration
Polychrome printed and/or hand-finished decoration
Engraved illustrations
Dimensions
Please add exact dimensions from physical measurement.
Disclaimers / Condition
Antique condition consistent with age and use. Visible rubbing, surface wear and discoloration to the binding, particularly at the edges, corners and spine. The decorative boards retain substantial original gilt and color, with age-related fading and scattered losses.
Interior pages show moderate to heavy foxing in places, particularly around the title matter, along with expected toning and occasional spotting. Binding appears intact overall from the photographs, though with expected wear associated with a book over 170 years old.
Please review all photographs closely as they form an important part of the condition description.