Description: [19th C. FRENCH LITERATURE - ILLUSTRATED EDITION]Attention !!You will find many more photos at the bottom of the page under my descriptive text...François-René de Chateaubriand1768-1848Functions:Minister of Foreign AffairsDecember 28, 1822 - August 14, 1824 Peer of France1815-1830Minister of State1815-1816Armchair 19 of the French AcademyFebruary 20, 1811 - July 4, 1848Ambassador of France to the United KingdomAmbassador of France to the Holy SeeAmbassador of France to SwedenTitle of nobilityViscount Translator, politician, diplomat, historian, poet, novelist, journalist, writer, soldier, biographer François-René, Viscount of Chateaubriand, born September 4, 1768 in Saint-Malo and died July 4, 1848 in Paris, was a French writer, memoirist and politician. He is considered one of the precursors and pioneers of French romanticism and one of the biggest names in French literature.Coming from the Breton nobility, the most famous member of his family from Saint-Malo, Chateaubriand is politically part of the royalist movement. Several times ambassador to of various sovereigns, he was appointed, in 1822, under the Restoration, Minister of Foreign Affairs and held this position until 1824. During the reign of Charles X, he was among the ultraroyalists.The numerous political and diplomatic responsibilities that mark his career as well as his taste for travel, in America then in the Mediterranean basin, structure a marked life through exile and nostalgia for stability.His first major publications, the Essai sur les revolutions (1797) and the Génie of Christianity (1802), demonstrate his political commitment then in favor of the counter-revolution and in defense of the society of the Ancien Régime. But the ideological question very quickly becomes intertwined with the promotion of an original aesthetic which achieves great popular success and literary: the description of the nature and the analysis of the feelings of the “I”, which he implemented in the fictions Atala (1801) and René (1802). First published as illustrations of the Genie theses then attached to the vast cycle novel of the Natchez (completely published in 1826), they are a model for the following generation French writers. His propensity for mystery, amplitude, emphasis, melancholy grandeur, his attempt to express unspeakable suffering and his thirst for exoticism, which he reaffirms in the story of his trip to the Mediterranean Itinerary of Paris in Jerusalem (1811), have earned him a posteriori consideration as one of the most influential “pre-Romantics” of his generation. The painful sensitivity of this “wave of passions”, illustrated through the character of René, has an important legacy in the French Romanticism: Musset’s “mal du siècle” or Baudelaire’s “spleen” can be considered, among other things, as distant avatars.But Chateaubriand's monumental work lies in the Memories from beyond the grave, published posthumously from 1849, whose first books recreate his childhood and his training in his social environment of lower nobility in Saint-Malo and Combourg. The following books relate more to the historical picture of the periods he witnessed from 1789 to 1841. This text, both an autobiographical masterpiece and a first-rate historical testimony, demonstrates an evolution of his prose which remains no less influential on French literature.Memories from beyond the grave are the main work of François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), the writing of which began in 1809, under the title Mémoires de ma vie, and ended in 1841. The original edition of Mémoires d'outre-tombe, the final title of the project, was published in twelve volumes between 1849 and 1850 by Penaud Frères (Paris), after a serial distribution in the newspaper La Presse. Chateaubriand wanted these memoirs to be published only after his death, hence their title.Jean d'Ormesson describes Mémoires d'outre-tombe as an "absolute masterpiece".SummaryThis work is divided into four distinct parts:books 1 to 12, genealogy, childhood, studies, religious hesitations, career as a soldier and traveler;books 13 to 18, literary career; books 19 to 34, political career; books 35 to 42, retracing the end of his life and his considerations on the possible future of France.Childhood and youthChateaubriand begins his story with a long explanation of his family origins and more particularly the setbacks of his uncles and his father. He has indeed succeeded in restoring his family's image and restoring its economic situation. Rigorous, stubborn, Chateaubriand's father is an authoritarian man, maintaining order within his family in a strict and sometimes oppressive manner. However, upon his death, Chateaubriand kept some moving and respectful memories, seeing his father in another light, more understanding with the passing of the years.The JEUNE François-René spent his childhood and adolescence between Saint-Malo and the Château de Combourg, which his father had decided to reinvest after years of semi-abandonment. Leading a life there according to his father's wishes, Chateaubriand nevertheless took advantage of his moments of freedom to take long walks in the castle grounds and the neighboring forests, which would exalt his melancholy and his imagination: thus forging within him a feeling strong in communion with nature which plunges him into deep passionate reveries, where he hears for the first time the call of his Muse. The passions of his youthful heart born from these solitary walks will be a great source of inspiration for his autobiographical novel René. Sometimes filled with doubts, despite the solidity of his Christian faith, Chateaubriand one day almost ended his life with the help of a gun, the shot of which would not go off. Comforted, by this failed attempt, in his need to live despite his misfortune and his passions, Chateaubriand sees this as a sign of God's love for him and turns to Christianity with great fervor.Chateaubriand is the last of six children – he has four sisters and an older brother – from a family of gentlemen living in Brittany. Being the youngest of his siblings, he is not treated the same way as his older brother. He was abandoned by his parents, poorly dressed and first raised in foster care in Plancoët, between Dinan and Saint-Malo, with his maternal grandmother, until the age of three. He then returned to Saint-Malo to his parents, who neglected his education until the age of seven. François-René is abandoned to servants, he must be content with a minimal education, provided by a master who gives him some notions of drawing, English, hydrography and mathematics. He says he had an idle childhood, which also allowed him to play and enjoy the environment around him.However, Chateaubriand's childhood was also a happy period marked by a great bond with his sisters, in particular with Lucile to whom he was very attached throughout his life. Their childish imagination makes them perceive the Château de Combourg as a disturbing place, a place of all fantasies and all fears. Little François-René and his sisters have fun reading scary books in the evening, which thrill their imagination. Certain pages of the Memoirs, which describe Combourg as a peaceful and majestic place during the day, but disturbing and filled with ghosts at night, take thus has the appearance of a gothic novel.19th century descriptionThe story takes us to rural France at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century and more precisely Brittany, the land where Chateaubriand spent his childhood.We discover the customs of the time in a very traditional France. This early France of the 19th century is codified: society is divided into different social classes, which do not mix. The Chateaubriands have noble origins and they attach great importance to their genealogy.We also see the importance of beliefs and the weight of religion which structures family celebrations and outings. Before the Revolution, education was provided by religious people.We discover that France was also engaged in battles abroad and we see that the destiny of many characters mentioned by the author changed during the Revolution: many lost their lives, including Chateaubriand's family.The RevolutionChateaubriand then recounts in detail his stay in Paris while this city was experiencing the upheavals linked to the French Revolution. Deeply marked by certain bloody demonstrations of the sans-culottes (notably by a head mounted on a pike in front of his window), Chateaubriand decides to embark for America in order to flee the tumult that threatens him.Travel to AmericaIn order to escape the Revolution which will take away part of his family, Chateaubriand takes to the sea to go to America in order to find a passage through the north between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. He will keep very strong memories of his stay, his encounters, and the customs of the indigenous tribes, which will inspire him to write Le Génie du Christianisme, Atala and René.NapoleonChateaubriand first obtained a place at the French Embassy in Rome: Napoleon sought to obtain the favor of the monarchists by thus favoring a nobleman like Chateaubriand.Although strongly opposed to Napoleon since the execution of the Duke of Enghien, Chateaubriand devotes long pages to the emperor, where fascination for the general's genius and distrust of a megalomania that he considers fatal for men are mixed. and for France.AnalysisAlthough they contain features that bring them closer to the literary genre of memoirs (in the classic sense of the term, such as Saint-Simon's Mémoires de Saint-Simon), Mémoires d'outre-tombe are also inspired by Rousseau's Confessions, in the sense that Chateaubriand deals - in addition to the political and historical events he witnesses - with details of his private life and his personal aspirations. The author therefore deals with the major historical events that he witnessed (Revolution, Republic, Empire, Restoration, July Monarchy) but at the same time reveals his inner self, in a confidence as close as it is intimate to his reader.It is also in this work that we find some of the best French examples of poetic prose, a genre in which Chateaubriand excelled.EditionsThe Mémoires d'outre-tombe were first read in the presence of the author in Madame Récamier's living room at Abbaye-aux-Bois. A report of these readings appeared in 1834 under the title: Lectures des memoires d'outre-tombe (Paris, published by Lefevre).In March-April 1836, was formed by Henry-Louis Delloye (1787-1846) and Adolphe Sala (1802-1867), a company limited by shares, the object of which is the exploitation and posthumous publication of the author's Memoirs and other unpublished works. In December 1844, from this company, Émile de Girardin acquired for 80,000 francs the right to publish the Mémoires in La Presse, which was done on October 21, 1848.In 1849, the Memoirs were published in the form of works sold in bookstores by the Parisian publishers Eugène and Victor Penaud. They entrusted the composition of frontispieces to René de Moraine (1816-1879), engraved by Ferdinand Delannoy (1822-1887). The first illustrated edition was also published by Penaud (without date) almost at the same time. that the original edition, it is difficult to date with certainty, certain volumes even seem to precede the original edition (which does not contain engravings); it is also possible that the publisher reused volumes of the original edition by “stuffing” them with out-of-text engravings Note that the copy sold here does include the list of subscribers and the author's warning which is normally only found in the original edition -Francois-René de CHATEAUBRIAND1768-1848 Memoirs from Beyond the GraveComplete edition in 6 volumes1st illustrated edition almost contemporary with the original editionRichly decorated work 31 out-of-text engravings in total(bibliographers generally announce 30 for this edition)Original compositions by From Moraine for the most part and some of Staal, in a very romantic spirit, ornamented, all engraved by DelannoyEngravings on laminated china, as well as 8 portraits in stylized frames,due to Geoffroy and various artists Legends printed under the subjects, meandering for the most part preserved Paris, Eugène and Victor Penaud brothers, undated (1849-1850)(Typo by E. and V. Penaud, 10 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre in Paris)6 volumes In-8 (approximately 24x16 cm).Volume I: Editor's Opinion - List of Subscribers - Letter from Chateaubriand to Mr. Delloye - Foreword - Memoirs 431pp. (including Table of the 1st volume)5 out-of-text engravings including 1 frontispieceVolume II: Memoirs 443pp. (including Table of the 2nd volume)8 out-of-text engravings including 1 frontispiece and 3 portraitsVolume III: Memoirs 431pp. (including Table of the 3rd volume)5 out-of-text engravings of which 1 frontispiece and 1 portrait Volume IV: Memoirs 436pp. (including Table of the 4th volume)5 out-of-text engravings of which 1 frontispiece and 3 portraitsVolume V: Memoirs 455pp. (including Table of the 5th volume)4 out-of-text engravings of which 1 frontispiece and 1 portrait Volume VI: Memoirs 464pp. (including Table of the 6th volume)4 out-of-text engravings of which 1 frontispiece and 1 portrait Pleasant 1/2 period binding, green calfskin (very light color. past), smooth spine, gilt decorated boxes, two black leather title and number labels, gilt fillets, gilt titleBinding well done, solid and clean, very correctly preserved,with various small defects usual for old works(Friction, marks and various minor wear, on edges, back, caps, corners, minimal cracks on a few jaws, body of work holding together very well, no unbound pages) Good uniform period binding.As always for this edition, internal state correct without more, edges of the leaves yellowed, all of the volumes are dotted with many freckles and light spots, a few rare, slightly browned leavesBel copy of this rare and sought-after edition! cf. visuals... The JEUNE François-René spent his childhood and adolescence between Saint-Malo and the Château de Combourg, which his father had decided to reinvest after years of semi-abandonment. Leading a life there according to his father's wishes, Chateaubriand nevertheless took advantage of his moments of freedom to take long walks in the castle grounds and the neighboring forests, which would exalt his melancholy and his imagination: thus forging within him a feeling strong in communion with nature which plunges him into deep passionate reveries, where he hears for the first time the call of his Muse. The passions of his youthful heart born from these solitary walks will be a great source of inspiration for his autobiographical novel René. Sometimes filled with doubts, despite the solidity of his C
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Special Attributes: Complete with 30 out-of-text engravings on applied chine Ht, Let's compose original of STAAL or MORAINE grav. by DAVIS, Illustrated
Author: FRANCOIS RENE DE CHATEAUBRIAND (1768-1848)
date of publication: Undated 1849-1850
Object modified: Non
Type: Mid 19th century
Binding: Leather
Language: French
period: 19th
Place of Publication: FRANCE
Nom: MEMORIES FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE
Topic: MEMORIES FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE Complete in 6 volumes circa 1850
Brand: Unbranded
ISBN: Does not apply
MPN: Does not apply
