☙ A travers Paris

1921 - Georges Cain

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☙ A travers Paris

✑ Georges Cain

A TRAVERS PARIS

«A travers Paris» by Georges Cain, published in 1921 by Ernest Flammarion, represents one of the most moving and well-documented testimonies about the French capital at the turn of the 20th century. Georges Cain (1853-1919), curator of the Carnavalet Museum from 1897 to 1914, was particularly qualified to write about Paris, having devoted his life to studying and preserving Parisian history. His work is distinguished by an approach that is both scholarly and sentimental, blending rigorous historical research with nostalgic evocations of a Paris in the process of disappearing. This copy is of particular interest to bibliophiles thanks to its ex-libris of Sylvain Sauvage (1888-1948), the famous French illustrator, engraver, and poster artist. Sauvage, known for his book illustrations and woodcuts, was himself a lover of Paris and its artistic heritage. The presence of his ex-libris in this work testifies to the importance he placed on reference works about the capital. This provenance adds an additional dimension to the book, linking it to another artist who, like Cain, contributed to documenting and celebrating Parisian cultural heritage.

Why add it to your collection?

Sought-after edition of a classic work on Parisian topography by Georges Cain, curator of the Carnavalet Museum

Exceptional provenance with ex-libris of Sylvain Sauvage, renowned French illustrator and engraver (1888-1948)

Precious literary testimony about Paris before the major transformations of the 20th century

Reference work for collectors of books on Parisian history and topography

Flammarion edition from 1921, pivotal period of French publishing between the wars

Description

The Author and His Work

Georges Cain occupies a unique place in Parisian historiography. Son of the playwright Alphonse Cain, he grew up in an artistic and intellectual environment that nurtured his passion for the history of Paris. Appointed curator of the Carnavalet Museum in 1897, he transformed this institution into a true sanctuary of Parisian memory. His approach to urban history was innovative for the time: rather than focusing solely on major events and official monuments, Cain was interested in streets, houses, shop signs, and architectural details that give Paris its unique character.

«A travers Paris» is part of this approach. The work offers a literary and historical exploration of the capital, neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street. Cain meticulously describes the urban transformations he observed during his lifetime, often lamenting the disappearance of vestiges of old Paris under the blows of modernization. His style blends the erudition of a museum curator with the sensitivity of a writer, creating a form of writing that would have a lasting influence on literature about Paris.

The 1921 Edition

This posthumous edition, published two years after Cain's death, benefits from the prestige of Flammarion, a major publisher of the first half of the 20th century. Flammarion specialized in publishing quality works intended for a cultured audience, and this edition of «A travers Paris» fits perfectly into this editorial line. The publication context is also significant: in the aftermath of World War I, the view of Paris and its heritage took on a new dimension, between reconstruction and nostalgia for a vanished world.

Provenance: Sylvain Sauvage

The ex-libris of Sylvain Sauvage gives this copy exceptional heritage value. Sauvage, trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs, established himself in the interwar period as one of the most talented French illustrators of his generation. His woodcuts, book illustrations, and posters demonstrate an instantly recognizable style, blending tradition and modernity. That Sauvage owned this work by Cain is not insignificant: like the curator of Carnavalet, the illustrator was deeply attached to Paris and its history. This convergence of interests between the author and the owner of the work creates a particular resonance, making this book an object charged with a double artistic and heritage memory.

REMARK: book spine damaged

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