LA ROCHEFOUCAULD'S MAXIMES THROUGH THE LENS OF THE 1765 CENTENARY EDITION BELONGING MATHIEU DUMAS

This article examines the 1765 centenary edition of La Rochefoucauld’s Maximes, published in Paris by Chez Pissot and annotated by Abbé de La Roche to reflect Enlightenment sensibilities. Once owned by General Mathieu Dumas—Napoleon’s minister of war and Councillor of State—the volume features elegant 18th-century French craftsmanship: full marbled calf binding, red-and-black letterpress, and vibrant “snail” marbled endpapers and edges. Blending literary legacy, Napoleonic provenance, and refined bookmaking, the edition captures the cultural richness of Enlightenment-era France.