van der Aa - Zeldzaam geillustreerd boek over Leiden: Les Delices de Leide ( 1712 ) - 1712

Les Delices de Leide, one of the famous cities of Europe

Book published in France in 1712 by Pierre Van der AA. There are still 10 engravings present (including the frontispiece) including the 3 main maps of Leiden, see the photos. The book has the original softcover binding

"Les Délices de Leide, une des célèbres villes de l'Europe" is an important historical and travel work that was published in 1712 in Leiden by the renowned printer and publisher Pieter van der Aa. This book, written in French, describes the history, the architecture and the cultural institutions of the Dutch city of Leiden. The work is part of a series of prestigious guides and descriptions aimed at French-speaking travelers and history enthusiasts. It offers a fascinating overview of the Dutch Golden Age and highlights iconic sights such as Leiden University, the famous libraries, and the botanical gardens.

In 1712 the Leiden printer and publisher Pieter van der Aa published an anonymous French description of the city of Leiden, entitled Les Délices de Leide. From the thematic perspective of (self)image, this edition, intended for the French tourist ‘et autres curieux’, is extremely interesting. Not only because it presents an appealing image of Leiden, but also due to the literary-rhetorical manner in which this image was created. Add to that that Van der Aa used this edition to position himself as publisher and to advertise quite a bit for his fund.