Cronica cronicarum abbrege et mis par figures descentes et Rondeaulx. Paris: Jacques Ferrebouc for Jehan Petit and Francoys Regnault, 20 September 1521.

Broadsheet 2º (552 x 380mm). 32 leaves printed recto only and mounted back to back except the first and last mounted on blanks. Woodcut illustrations, roundels, borders and initials throughout, ALL COLOURED IN A CONTEMPORARY HAND. (Some leaves with repaired marginal tears reaching into the print, a small hole in the text affecting a few letters in some leaves, some of these repaired, mostly marginal dampstaining.) 19th-century vellum, covers centred with a large gilt arabesque, gilt floral roll-tooled border. Provenance: cancelled signatures in an early hand on the front blank – Gaston De Biet (called Abbé de Maubranches, 'chevalier seigneur de Maubranches, conseiller du roy au baillage et siège présidial de Bourges, lieutenant général au dit siège et chanoine en la dite église cathédrale de Bourges en 1718'; signature, and later explanatory inscription on the front blank).

FIRST EDITION, CONTAINING THE EARLIEST ACCURATE ENGRAVED VIEW OF THE CITY OF PARIS. A BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATED BOOK WITH CONTEMPORARY HAND-COLOURING.

The 'chronicle of chronicles' covers French, English and world history, ranging from the Creation to the year 1521. It is a remarkable production. The genealogical and historical time-lines progressing horizontally from beginning to end are printed on one side only to allow for the work to form a frieze or a roll, in addition to a codex; indeed, the BnF in Paris holds a copy of this edition printed on vellum that has been mounted to form two scrolls. (Paris, BnF, Réserve des livres rares, Rés. Vélins-15 et 16). English history features surprisingly prominently, suggesting that the publishers also intended to sell the work in England.

The 92 coloured woodcuts include city views of Paris, London, Rome, Trier and Troy, portraits of Henry VIII, François I, Emperor Charles V and others, the Apostles, Noah’s Ark and other Biblical scenes, and countless roundels in the genealogical tables.

The engraved view of Paris is remarkable. It was to be reprinted c.1530 in Pierre Gringore's Complaincte de la cité chrestienne: in his recent study, Jean Boutin was aware only of this latter publication, and states 'Il s'agit sans doute de la première vue gravée de Paris ... Dans le détail, peu de bâtiments sont clairement identifiables, en dehors de la cathédrale Notre-Dame, de la tour de Nesle et de quelques autres églises' (Les Plans de Paris, 2002, no.3).

The previous engraved views of Paris, published in Schedel's Chronicle, were imaginary.

Adams C-1494; Brunet I, 1861; Moreau III, 60.

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