(STEINHAEUSER Johann Benjamin; DEMBOWSKI Antoni; NORBLIN Jan Piotr), Memoires Sur Le Gouvernement De La Pologne.

Memoires Sur Le Gouvernement De La Pologne.

[Vignette here]. M.D.CC.LIX (1759). (B. m.). (Manheim?). (17 x 10.5 cm), f. [4], pp. 184, [6], 5 plates, bound in period sc.
(Estr. T. 15 and 29). Estreicher b. describes the book extensively; here we include abbreviated information: "The distribution of contents is as follows: 1) Geographical description (book I). - 2) About the three states (king, senate and dignitaries, nobility). - 3) About public government (sejmmy, interregnum, general councils, confederations, sen. consilia, sejmiki). - 4) On civil government (higher and lower tribunals and courts, church and military courts). - 5) On the powers and revenues of the Rzeczp. (Rev. V). Concludes with a list of treaties (according to Dumont Corp. dipl., Lünig Cod. dipl. and Arch. imp., Lengnich Hist.) - and an extract from the Pacta conv. Contrary to the announcement, the author (or some co-author) knew Polish, as he operates with Polish technical words and does not make mistakes in place names and surnames ... it is undoubted that to finish the work .... he was assisted by some Pole, ... it could have been Bishop Dembowski (who), however, concealed his co-authorship, ... At the end of the book he adds statistical tables relating to the division of the state, to taxes, participation in sejms, etc., which tables are still relevant today. (Estreicher). The book was owned by Jan Piotr Norblin (1745-1830), the most important painter of the Stanislawski period, considered the father of Polish genre painting. The artist, who came from a French bourgeois family, worked in Poland between 1774 and 1804. Probably his most outstanding works were created here. On the frontispiece page, the artist's drawing of a nobleman's head and signature, repeated signatures on the next page and title page; on page 59, a drawing of a Polish nobleman, while on the last blank pages, several signatures by Norblin and text: "I was yesterday at Mr. ... at dinner I liked the companion very much, Mrs. Nast. this lady is full of sense"; "I bow to you and Be well"; "There was the King with the Queen mie li dupe beef Amen"; below the signature "Norblin". (All the handwritten text on the last sheet probably also written in Norblin's hand). Good condition. Abrasions of binding, sticker mark on face, 4 folding boards with losses. Very rare.