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INSIDE the Bordeaux Copy
(Click for extra large version)
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Ordering the Bordeaux Copy
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| The Story Behind the Bordeaux Copy
Reproduction |
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The color reproduction of
the Bordeaux Copy of Montaigne's Essais was published in July
2002.
After more than four years of hard work rhythmed by administrative
and scientific hurdles, this editorial project comes finally
to an end! Such scientific endeavor was made possible with the
support of the French Ministry of Culture, the City of Bordeaux,
the Montaigne Club of Dallas, the University of Chicago and
Montaigne Studies, and has required a heavy financial investment
and unprecedented technical innovations. In order to complete
this edition, the Bordeaux Copy of Montaigne's Essais was photographed
in the vault where it resides. Strict technical specifications
were imposed by the City of Bordeaux and the Bibliothèque Nationale
de France technical services. The numerous photographic sessions
occurred at the Bordeaux library, the electronic conversion
of the ektachromes was done at the University of Chicago and
the printing on high quality paper (close to the original) was
done in Italy by Grafischena. Finally, the leather (morocco)
binding-identical to the Bordeaux Copy for the first 120 numbered
copies-was done in France.
The result is a fantastic monument (more than 13 pounds!) to
the memory of Montaigne and a unique research and teaching tool
for scholars working on the Renaissance. Montaigne's handwriting
has never been so legible (richer and more readable than the
black and white reproduction published by Hachette in 1912 and
far superior to the "reproduction of the reproduction" published
by Slatkine). The color reproduction allows students and scholars
to multiply endlessly the famous layers of Montaigne's text
as the visible differences in the ink colors open new possibilities
of interpretation for key passages of the Bordeaux Copy.
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I invite you to order this color reproduction or at least have
your library order it. It is an indispensable research and teaching
document. All the specialists of Montaigne and the French Renaissance
will finally be able to have access to this important book.
Philippe Desan
Editor, Montaigne Studies
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