LANFREY, Pierre [Napoleon].
The History of Napoleon the First.
London and New York: Macmillan and Co. , 1871-1879.
$750.00
In Stock
Item Number: RRB-151123
+$500
First Edition of Pierre Lanfrey's The History of Napoleon the First; Finely Bound by Zaensdorf
First English edition of this critical biography that attempts to demythologize Napoleon Bonaparte. Octavo, four volumes, bound in early twentieth century three-quarters morocco over marble covered boards by Zaensdorf with gilt titles and elaborate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. In very good condition.
Pierre Lanfrey’s The History of Napoleon the First (1871–1879) is a multi-volume critical biography that seeks to reassess and demythologize Napoleon Bonaparte by emphasizing his political ambition, strategic calculation, and authoritarian tendencies. Covering the period from Napoleon’s birth in 1769 through the expansion of the French Empire to 1811, Lanfrey analyzes key military campaigns, including those in Italy and Egypt, alongside the consolidation of imperial power and diplomatic maneuvering in Europe. Drawing extensively on Napoleon’s correspondence, Lanfrey challenges the heroic and romantic portrayals prevalent in earlier historiography, presenting instead a portrait of a calculating ruler whose pursuit of dominance overshadowed administrative reform. Left incomplete at Lanfrey’s death in 1877, the work remains notable for its rigorous archival research and its early contribution to critical Napoleonic scholarship.
The History of Napoleon the First.
$750.00
In Stock
