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8 000 €

Réf : 82241

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[Impératrice de Russie MARIA FEODOROVNA]

Gabriel SENAC DE MEILHAN

Mémoires d'Anne de Gonzagues, Princesse Palatine

S.n., A Londreset se trouve à Paris 1786, in-8 (12x19,6cm), (4) XV, 267pp., relié.

First edition.

Binding with central arms of Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia, née Duchess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg-Montbéliard (1759-1828), wife of Paul I, and mother of Alexander I and Nicholas I. Double-headed eagle with Russian and Württemberg state symbols, set within the ribbon of the Order of Saint Catherine.

Contemporary Russian binding in full red morocco, central arms of the Empress. Small black mark on the bottom of the first board, slightly bumped corner. Crisp paper with a few spotting and browning to the endpapers' margins.

Provenance: Pavlovsk Palace library with its storage label on the first pastedown endpaper. 

Catherine II of Russia gave this estate – built from 1782 to 1786 – to her only son Paul I to celebrate the birth of his first child. Maria Feodorovna furnished the rooms and acquired with her husband numerous pieces of European furniture, books, tapestries, making this sumptuous palace one of the most beautiful properties in Russia. She created in Pavlovsk her own literary salon and organized theatrical and musical evenings for her entourage. As an avid reader, she built up an important library set in wonderful red morocco bindings bearing her coat of arms. After the death of Catherine II, Empress Maria Feodorovna strongly supported the arts and created numerous charities as well as the very first schools for women in Russia. She lived in Pavlovsk Palace until her death in 1828.
After the revolution of 1917, part of her books and art collections were sold by the Soviet government, and the palace was heavily looted by the Nazis during its occupation in September 1941.

A superb copy of the memoirs of “Princess Palatine” Anna Gonzaga of Cleves of an illustrious provenance. Important figure of the Fronde, the Princess was initially destined for monastic life and ran an important literary salon. Her tumultuous life was punctuated by secret love affairs, cross-dressing, and conspiracy. 

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