middle ages

Les Arts au Moyen Age et a l'Epoque de la Renaissance (The Arts in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance) features chromolithographic plates and over 400 woodcuts. What truly makes this edition stand out is its elaborate use of gilt stamping. The red book cover is dotted and outlined with gold script, matching the bow-like design on the spine. Instead of the typical marbled paper, the book's inside covers feature a zig-zag pattern of black and gold lines, with designs of flowers, tassels, and letters in contrasting colors.

This hidden gem of a first edition is full of rich history, not only of the chivalric contests of the Middle Ages that it analyzes, but also of the history of the Smithsonian Institution and book history. Delving into the nitty-gritty of the sport over its half-millennium history, this book introduces important terminology used in the study of chivalry.