Étrennes nationales, curieuses et instructives contenant les époques les plus intéressantes de l'histoire de France, avec figures. Pour l'année 1791. Cailleau, [Francois-Paul-Valère], rue Gallande, No. 64. Paris. [1790].

Étrennes nationales, curieuses et instructives contenant les époques les plus intéressantes de l'histoire de France, avec figures. La dénomination historique des LXXXIII départemens, leurs districts, & le nom des provinces où ils sont renfermés. Pour l'année 1791. 143 pages in French, plus 29 unnumbered pages of diary,  each page with double-lined black borders. Frontispiece of Louis XVI "Roi des François, Père d'un Peuple Libre, fait le Serment de soutenir La Constitution", by Beugnet. Woodcut vignettes. Title and half-title pages in red and black. Mild uniform age-toned leaves. All edges gilt. Original pink and gilt decorative endpapers. Contemporary ink inscriptions and annotations. Provenance: Pierre Francois Lanier (1738-1814) who died in Vaupoisson, Aube.  66 x 100 mm. Contemporary full dark burgundy calf. Spine with five raised bands, double filet gilt horizontal rules and gilt floral decoration. Covers with gilt scrolling ribbon borders.  Beautifully patinated wear to head of spine and corners. Gilt faded. Not in Bondy, nor Spielmann, nor Welsh. OCLC, 928367034. WorldCat locates two copies worldwide (Bibliothèque nationale de France, and Bibliothèque Diderot). This almanac contains political information on the Decrees of the National Assembly of 1790, and propaganda from a time of fragile optimism and a brief, experimental moment in history: the French Constitutional Monarchy (1791–1792) - the exact moment the French monarchy tried, and ultimately failed, to survive the Revolution by embracing its ideals. What makes this almanac particularly interesting are the layers of symbolism and historical prescience. The frontispiece caption identifies Louis XVI as "ROI DES FRANCOIS" (King of the French) rather than the traditional "King of France". This subtle change meant he was now a king by the will of the people, not by divine right. He is called the "Père d'un Peuple Libre" (Father of a Free People), an attempt to rebrand the absolute monarch as a paternal figure for the new Republic. The image of Louis XVI with his hand on the Book of the Constitution foresees the 14th of September, 1791, when he was compelled to swear an oath to uphold the first written French Constitution.  An Angel above blowing a trumpet, signalled a "heavenly" endorsement of this new secular law. The Crowd represented those "free people" witnessing the end of absolute royal power. There appears to be a Phrygian or a red liberty cap (key symbol of the revolution), on the Queen's mace, foreseeing the king's humiliation when he was forced to put one on his head during a mob invasion of the palace in June 1792. The "Father of a Free People" would be arrested just months later, in August 1792, and executed by the guillotine in January 1793.