Les Hommes Illustres - Rich Breiman Collection
keyword: richbreiman8/29/24Les Hommes Illustres Qui ont Paru en France (The Illustrious Men Who Appeared in France) is a significant work edited by Charles Perrault, published in two volumes in 1696 and 1700[1][6]. This first edition was printed in Paris by Antoine Dezallier[4].The work consists of biographies, called "éloges historiques" (historical eulogies), of 100 famous Frenchmen who had died during the 17th century[2]. Each biography is accompanied by an engraved portrait, totaling 202 portraits in the complete work[1][8]. These portraits were engraved by notable artists of the time, including Edelinck, Lubin, Van Schuppen, and Duflos[8].Structure and ContentThe biographies in Les Hommes Illustres are divided into five sections:1. Churchmen2. Military leaders3. Statesmen4. Scholars and men of letters5. Artisans (including painters and architects)[2]Notably, the work includes two censored portraits of Arnauld and Pascal[1][8].Historical ContextLes Hommes Illustres was published during a significant period in French intellectual history. As a "modern" in the Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes (Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns), Perrault used this work to showcase the achievements of contemporary French society[2]. The text provides valuable insights into late 17th-century French attitudes towards various subjects, including foreign exploration, travel, and discovery[2].Physical DescriptionThe first edition of Les Hommes Illustres is presented in two large folio volumes. These volumes are typically bound in contemporary full calf over boards, with seven raised bands on the spine[1][5]. The first volume contains 100 pages plus 3 folios including a table, while the second volume has 102 pages plus 1 folio[1].This work by Perrault, though less well-known than his fairy tales, offers a fascinating panorama of French society during the reign of Louis XIV and serves as an important historical document of the period[2][6].Charles PerraultCharles Perrault (January 12, 1628 – May 16, 1703) was a prominent French author and member of the Académie Française who laid the foundations for a new literary genre: the fairy tale[1]. Born in Paris to a wealthy bourgeois family, Perrault initially studied law before embarking on a career in government service[3]. He played a significant role in the cultural life of France during the reign of Louis XIV, participating in the creation of the Academy of Sciences and the restoration of the Academy of Painting[3]. Perrault served as secretary of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres and worked under Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the finance minister to King Louis XIV[3]. Despite his long career in public service, Perrault is best remembered for his contributions to literature, particularly his collection of fairy tales published in 1697 when he was almost 70 years old[1]. This collection, known as "Histoires ou Contes du temps passé" (Stories or Tales from Past Times) or "Mother Goose Tales," included beloved stories such as "Little Red Riding Hood," "Sleeping Beauty," "Puss in Boots," and "Cinderella"[1]. Perrault's tales, written in prose with a moral at the end, enjoyed instant success and have had a lasting impact on literature, influencing later authors such as the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen[1].Source: Perplexity.ai-- G. Ly
