by Wittert, Adrien [Z.Z.]
2 continuously paginated vols., 359 pp., providing an annotated scholarly account of the political career of John III, "the Pitiless," bishop of Liège from 1389 to 1418 and duke of Bavaria-Straubing and count of Holland and Hainaut from 1418 until his assassination by poisoning in 1425, including bibliographic notes, an appendix notes and sources, illustrated with 24 photogravures reproducing significant paintings, prints and maps from the era, including works by Van Eyck, Israel Van Meckenen, Schauflein, Lucas de Leyde, Durer, Jacob de Barbari, the Master of 1466, and others. Many signatures uncut. Small 4to. Wrpps, somewhat browned. Appendix and plates housed loose as issued in a separate wrpps. portfolio. Paris / Liège / Brussels, n.d. (ca. 1884). Wittert, a noted independent scholar, used photographic reproductions of art historical imagery to tell the story of John the Pitiless' disastrous tenure as bishop, which lead to an open revolt of the citizenry of Liège against the church and crown in 1408, when a Burgundian army led by his brother-in-law John the Fearless came to his aide and slaughtered his enemies on the field of Othée. In his introduction, the author calls the insurrection of 1408 the first modern revolution, and makes a case for Othée as a precursor to the revolutions of 1789 and 1871. Exceptionally rare. (Inventory #: 47529)