Ponson, Marie

Oblong 4to.  260 x 350 mm., [10 ¼ x 13 ½ inches].  56 leaves.  Illustrated with 23 hand drawn maps.  Title page is decorated with a floral frieze.  Bound in red cloth, joint cracked but sound, corners bumped, and cloth soiled in places; with the initials “M P” gilt on the upper board.  Included are two sacred documents celebrating Maria Ponson’s first communion and her consecrations into the Order of St. Verge, 1882.

Beautifully produced manuscript of hand colored maps with information text written in a highly legible and attractive hand.  The text and maps have been prepared within elaborate lithographed borders.  The maps are complemented with very good text describing each country, various provinces, rivers, mountains, climate, people, production and minerals.  The details in the text vary but capture the essence of the country, or region, and the native people.  There are four maps of France as is to be expected, and the text which accompanies the maps is highly detailed and informative. 

The documents accompanying the manuscript provide some information on Marie Ponson and demonstrate the type of education she received after entering the Order of St. Vierge.  Ms. Ponson was baptized in July of 1861, received her first communion in May of 1877, was admitted to the Order in 1878, and in 1882 took her vows of obedience.  As part of her education, as so many young convent girls did, she learned the art of calligraphy and demonstrated her knowledge and skill in creating an atlas of France and in her case the countries of the world.