The Life of Jesus, Ernest Renan — 1st English Edition

£595.00

The Life of Jesus, Ernest Renan — 1st English Edition

Name: The Life of Jesus, Ernest Renan — 1st English Edition
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4379
Price: 595.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Publication: London, Trübner & Co, 1864

Formatting: 8vo, pp. [xii], 311.

Condition Report: Very Good. The original dark green publisher's cloth remains tight, square, and structurally sound, which is highly desirable for a mid-19th-century volume. The blind-stamped borders and panelling to the boards retain excellent crispness. Wear is primarily confined to minor rubbing and bumping at the extremities, alongside mild fraying to the top and bottom edges of the spine. Crucially, the gilt lettering on the spine remains bright and unoxidised. The text block is firm; the page edges exhibit standard age-toning and faint darkening, but internally the leaves remain supple, clean, and highly legible, showing only mild occasional foxing typical of the era's paper stock. The volume is currently protected in a removable clear mylar sleeve.

Catalogue Note: True first English translation of Ernest Renan's monumental and deeply controversial La Vie de Jésus. Originally published in France in 1863, this English edition was quickly brought to market in 1864 by Trübner & Co. of London (in conjunction with M. Lévy Frères of Paris), with the physical printing executed by J. Hamer of Leeds.

The volume is entirely unillustrated, relying instead on Renan's evocative prose. It features the printed dedication to Renan's sister, Henriette, composed at Ghazir where the siblings lived and traveled while he drafted the initial manuscript. First English editions in their original, unrestored publisher's cloth are becoming increasingly scarce on the open market, particularly when free of heavy institutional markings or significant structural damage.

Ernest Renan's The Life of Jesus is a watershed text in the history of biblical scholarship and European literature. Stripping away the miraculous and the divine, Renan approaches Jesus of Nazareth not as the Son of God, but as an unparalleled historical figure, a charismatic, radical Galilean preacher whose moral philosophy fundamentally altered the course of human history. Written with the lyrical beauty of a romantic novelist and the rigorous scrutiny of a pioneering philologist, this seminal work shocked the 19th-century religious establishment and forever shifted the paradigm of how modern society interacts with the origins of Christianity.

Book Condition: Very Good

Book Authors: Ernest Renan

Book Publisher: Trübner & Co.

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Religion & Spirituality

Book edition: First Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 311

Book Publication Year: 1864

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Cloth)

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.