Henry Adams - Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres - Franklin Library - The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American - 1978

Henry Adams – Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres (The Franklin Library, 1978) - The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature

Edition note:
Published as part of The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature, an exclusive limited-edition series issued under the auspices of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration. Illustrated by Gonzalo Fonseca.

Introduction:
First published in 1904, Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres is Henry Adams’s luminous exploration of medieval faith, symbolism, and architecture. Blending history, travel writing, and philosophical reflection, Adams guides the reader through the soaring abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel and the radiant cathedral of Chartres. His narrative seeks to understand the spiritual imagination of the Middle Ages—an era shaped not by logic but by devotion, art, and the poetic language of belief. Revered for its depth and elegance, the work remains one of the most celebrated meditations on Gothic architecture and cultural history.

Content:
This Franklin Library edition features Gonzalo Fonseca’s finely rendered illustrations and architectural drawings, including detailed depictions such as the floor plan of Chartres Cathedral. The volume includes Adams’s full preface and unabridged text, offering his reflections on medieval art, the Virgin’s symbolism, and the intellectual landscape of the 12th and 13th centuries.

Features:
Publisher: The Franklin Library, Franklin Center, Pennsylvania
Year: 1978
Author: Henry Adams
Illustrator: Gonzalo Fonseca
Edition: Limited Edition (100 Greatest Masterpieces series)
Binding: Full burgundy leather with elaborate gilt decorative boards and spine
Endpapers: Moiré silk
Page edges: Gilt
Ribbon marker: Burgundy satin
Paper: Archival-quality, acid-neutral paper

Condition:
Excellent condition. Clean pages, tight binding, bright gilt, and no marks or writing. A beautifully preserved copy.

Shipping:
Carefully packed and shipped with tracking number.