Constantin François de Chassebœuf, Comte de Volney. Voyage en Syrie et en Ëgypte, Pendant Les Années 1783, 1784 et 1785.
AUCTION 63 |
Thursday, November 13th,
2014 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Books, Manuscripts, Autograph Letters, Graphic and Ceremonial Art
Lot 228
(TRAVEL).
Constantin François de Chassebœuf, Comte de Volney. Voyage en Syrie et en Ëgypte, Pendant Les Années 1783, 1784 et 1785.
Paris: Chez Volland 1789-90
Est: $500 - $700
A French philosopher, abolitionist, historian, orientalist, and politician, Constantin-François de Chasseboeuf (1757–1820) adopted the pen name Volney, which combined the name of Voltaire and Ferney, where the great philosopher lived. A friend of Thomas Jefferson and other Enlightenment figures, Volney used an inheritance to further his education by traveling to Ottoman Egypt and the historical regions of Syria, visiting areas of present-day Lebanon and Israel, seeking to gain political and philosophical insights from the ancient heritage of the Near East. Very little had been written in the West about these areas before Volney’s work, first published in 1787. It explores geography, history, ethnic divisions, religious beliefs, commerce, politics and customs, and upon publication enjoyed great popularity.