Jean Jaques Barthéleny

JEAN JAQUES BARTHÉLENY (Cassis, Provence, 1716-Paris, 1795).
"Viage of the young Anacharsis to Greece in the middle of the fourth century, before the Vulcar era". Volumes; 1-3 -4-5-6.
Printer: Collado, Madrid, 1813.
Volume 2 is missing.
In good condition.
Measurements: 17 x 11 x 3 cm.
Viaje del joven Anacarsis a Grecia is a fictional work written by Jean-Jacques Barthélemy and published in 1788. Presented as an imaginary travel diary, it recounts the journey of a young Scythian, descendant of the famous philosopher Anacharsis, who travels through Greece in the second half of the fourth century B.C. This narrative, structured as an extensive cultural itinerary, offers a detailed vision of the customs, institutions, religions and intellectual figures of the classical Greek world, through the eyes of an enlightened foreigner who, upon returning to his homeland, writes his memoirs. Barthélemy conceived this work not as a traditional history, but as a travel narrative, thus allowing himself to include meticulous descriptions and anecdotal observations that escape the historiographical format. Although its novelistic character is limited and its structure often resembles an encyclopedia rather than coherent fiction, the text enjoyed enormous popularity during the 19th century and was translated into numerous languages. Its scholarly approach, loaded with archaeological references and data, reflects the neoclassical cult of antiquity. However, with the passage of time, his prolix style and idealized vision of Greece were perceived as outdated, which led to the progressive oblivion of the work. Even so, its legacy lives on as an early example of the historical novel and as a testimony to the enlightened enthusiasm for the classical world.