Louis Antoine Caraccioli - Le Tableau de la Mort. - 1761

New edition of this work, announced as a sequel to 'The Enjoyment of Self,' the most popular work by the Marquis de Caraccioli (1719-1803). Published one year after the original at the same address.

Divided into seventeen chapters, the book explores themes such as remembering and forgetting death, time, eternity, illness, the terrors and consolations of the end of life, as well as funeral rites, resurrection, and apparitions. It closes with a dialogue between a dead and a living person.

Caracciolli writes: "For a long time, struck by the ideas of Death, I have wanted to paint it to the eyes of the Public, as I conceive it. Often one is reassured about an event whose consequences one fears, when one discusses it with others. I hope that my Readers (assuming that there are some courageous enough to concern themselves with the frightening truths that I treat), will perceive in my sentiments only opinions entirely similar to those that the freedom of the Schools allows to be taught. Death, in this Picture that I sketch of it, is considered metaphysically; so that this work appears only as a conference of the Conversation with Oneself, and of the Enjoyment of Oneself, two different books which preceded this one. If I had in mind only the desire to please, I would certainly not choose subjects so serious and so contrary to general taste; but I do not aspire than the advantage of speaking reason." (extract from the Preface)

Preserved in a beautiful period binding in full marbled calfskin, with a smooth spine decorated with floral motifs, small gilded tools, a garnet title piece, and gilded initials, with red edges.
In very good condition. Solid and decorative binding with luminous gilding, minor scuffs on the headbands, joints, and corners. Interior fresh and clean, rare foxing. A fine copy.

Louis-Antoine Caraccioli, born on November 6, 1719 in Le Mans and died on May 29, 1803 (aged 83) in Paris, was a French polygraph writer, author of literary, historical, political, theological, etc. works. He came from the noble cadet branch of the Neapolitan House.

Louis-Antoine Caraccioli
The Tableau of Death. New revised, expanded, and corrected edition.
At Bassompierre in Frankfurt 1761
in-12 (16.50 x 9.50 cm)
eighteen plus 361 pages plus table