Bouche, Charles-Francois. De la Restitution du Comté Venaissin, des Ville[s] et Ètat d’Avignon. [“Of the Restitution of Comtat Venaissin, of the Towns and State of Avignon.”]
AUCTION 32 |
Thursday, March 23rd,
2006 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Autographed Letters, Manuscripts, Graphics and Ceremonial Art
Lot 103
(FRENCH JUDAICA)
Bouche, Charles-Francois. De la Restitution du Comté Venaissin, des Ville[s] et Ètat d’Avignon. [“Of the Restitution of Comtat Venaissin, of the Towns and State of Avignon.”]
Paris: Baudouin, Imprimeur de l’Assemblée Nationale 1789
Est: $2,000 - $2,500
“About 2,000 Jews lived in the four communities of the papal province of Avignon and Comtat Venaissin (Avignon, Carpentras, Cavaillon, L’Isle-sur-Sorgue). The first impressive request for the annexation of the papal province by France, made in 1789 by the deputy Ch. F. Bouche, contained the projection of a status for Jews.” Szajkowski, Jews and the French Revolutions of 1789, 1830 and 1848 (1970), p.873.
In advocating basic human rights for the persecuted Jews of France, Bouche quotes the Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu (1689-1755): “Judaism is an old trunk that has produced two branches, Christianity and Mohammedanism. It is closed off from one and from the other in order to embrace the world, while its venerable old age embraces all times” (Bouche, pp. 31-32)