New book by Maxime Préaud, published on June 15.

LOUIS THE GREAT, TERROR AND ADMIRATION OF THE UNIVERSE
The wall almanacs published in Paris during the personal reign of Louis XIV,(1661/1662 – 1715/1716)

This two-volume work brings together and describes five hundred and twenty-four wall almanacs published in Paris during the personal reign of Louis XIV,  spanning 5 decades, from 1661 to 1715. Published at the beginning of each year, most of them report on the events of the year gone by. They are clearly intended to celebrate the deeds and qualities of the greatest of all kings and to demonstrate the fortune of the Bourbon dynasty. The publishers of these images are prominent figures in the French print trade and was all the more dynamic at the time, as the king and his ministers knew perfectly well how to use it for what we today call « communication ». Often entrusted to highly talented artists, these now rare prints, brought together in this way, form a magnificent show representative of our XVIIth century.

2 hardback volumes in a slipcase. Format : 26 × 35 cm
1216 pages (608 pages per volume) 800 illustrations

isbn : 978-2-7177-2943-6
Co-published by the Bibliothèque nationale de France / Le Passage Publication : June 2023

Public price (incl. tax) : 600 €