AA. VV. - Semaine Sainte - 1734

THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE SUN KING: A HERALDIC LEGACY OF THE BORBON COURT
Contemporary binding in full red Moroccan leather, extraordinarily decorated in gold: plates entirely covered by a complex geometric-floral composition in interlaced compartments, with repeated Rocaille-style hinges and late Baroque “à la fanfare.”
Heraldic identification: divided shield; in the first field the arms of France with three Bourbon lilies; in the second field a radiated emblem with an eagle and knightly insignia attributable to imperial and aristocratic dignities. All topped by a royal crown.
The presence of the arms of France united with a second noble field and crowned places the binding among the grand patronages close to the court of Louis XV and the circuits of the Franco-Bourbon high aristocracy.
MARKET VALUE
Examples in gold-engraved bindings of the Office de la Semaine Sainte from the 18th century generally range between 1,200 and 1,500 euros; the presence of an contemporaneous binding of extraordinary decorative richness and in well-preserved condition radically changes the market positioning. For similar items with dense gold decorations, central crests and richly ornamented back covers, value can realistically rise to a range between 2,000 and 3,000 euros, with further increases if the heraldic identification is definitively attributed to a specific family or historical figure of the French court.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION - COLLECTOR'S COPY
Contemporary binding in full red Moroccan leather, extraordinarily decorated in gold: plates entirely covered by a complex geometric-floral composition in interlaced compartments, with Rocaille-style hinges and late Baroque “à la fanfare.”
Heraldic identification: divided shield; in the first field the arms of France with three Bourbon lilies; in the second field a radiated emblem with an eagle and knightly insignia attributable to imperial and aristocratic dignities. All topped by a royal crown.
The presence of the arms of France united with a second noble field and crowned places the binding within the scope of the great commissions close to the court of Louis XV and the circuits of the Franco-Bourbon high aristocracy.
Back with nerves and compartments entirely adorned with gold hinges of radial and floral taste, title printed in gold; borders and runners richly decorated; the gold impression still very lively. Contre-plates and guards in polychrome French marbled paper from the 18th century. Presence of a refined 18th-century engraved ex libris belonging to André Éveillé, with motto “Ex Libris nec profanorum,” within an elegant Rocaille frame with putti and an open book bearing a French moral quotation. The quality of the engraving and the deliberately initiatic tone of the motto confirm provenance from an aristocratic or scholarly French library of the mid-18th century.
Minimal signs of use at margins and hinges, physiological for the era, but overall in very good conservation condition and of strong visual impact. Numerous illustrations depicting the different moments of the Passion. In old books, with a history spanning centuries, some imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. [6]; 659; [6].

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Office de la Semaine Sainte, Latin et François, à l’usage de Rome et de Paris; avec l’explication des cérémonies de l’Église, et quelques prières tirées de l’Écriture, pour la confession & pour la communion, & sur les mystères que l’on célèbre durant ce saint temps. Nouvelle édition.
À Paris, chez Grégoire Dupuis, rue Saint-Jacques, à la Couronne d’or, 1734. Avec privilège du Roi.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
In the 18th century, the Offices of Holy Week represented one of the main tools for interiorizing the Catholic rite, especially after the post-Tridentine reforms aiming for greater conscious participation by the faithful. This bilingual edition reflects the desire to make sacred texts and liturgical practices accessible even to a learned secular public. However, what deeply distinguishes this exemplar is its material dimension: the lavish binding is not mere ornament, but an integral part of the political and spiritual message. The book becomes a visual symbol of monarchic sacredness, where crown, crest and gold decoration construct a language of power and prestige. The copy fully belongs to the representative library culture of Bourbon France in the full Enlightenment eighteenth century.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Liturgical work of a collective nature derived from established ecclesiastical traditions. The publisher Grégoire Dupuis operated in Paris in the first half of the 18th century, on the famous rue Saint-Jacques, center of French religious publishing, contributing to the wide diffusion of devotional and liturgical texts.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Editions of the Office de la Semaine Sainte were reprinted many times between the 17th and 18th centuries, with minimal but continuous formal updates. The label “Nouvelle édition” indicates a revised reprint. Luxurious bindings like the one present were destined for aristocratic patronages and high-representation environments, today significantly less common than the standard editions intended for ordinary use.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU/OPAC SBN: search by uniform title “Office de la Semaine Sainte” and Dupuis, Paris 18th century
BnF Catalogue général: Office de la Semaine Sainte, éditions parisiennes, années 1730 (département des imprimés, cote à vérifier)
WorldCat: Office de la Semaine Sainte, Paris, 1734, holdings multiples in European libraries
Brunet, Manuel du libraire, t. IV, p. 185 (Offices liturgiques)
Dictionnaire de liturgie catholique, entries “Semaine Sainte”, “Offices”
Catalogue des livres liturgiques français des XVIIe–XVIIIe siècles, sections dedicated to bilingual Latin-French Offices