163 - LOUIS-FRÉDÉRIC. — In the Footsteps of the Buddha.

LOUIS-FRÉDÉRIC. — In the Footsteps of the Buddha. Paris, Librairie Hachette, 1957. Large quarto (approx. 31 cm), publisher’s hardcover with illustrated photographic dust jacket, 128 pp. Foreword by Jean Filliozat, professor at the Collège de France; introduction, notes, and photographs by Louis-Frédéric. Extensive black-and-white photographic illustrations, including full-page and double-page spreads. FIRST EDITION. A beautiful photographic work devoted to the life of the Buddha and the spread of Buddhism throughout India and the major sites of its history. Louis-Frédéric accompanies his study with a substantial collection of personal photographs: Indian landscapes, shrines, stupas, sculptures, and bas-reliefs, as well as scenes of daily life and religious figures. The iconography, which is particularly well-curated, includes numerous full-page compositions: Buddhist reliefs from Amaravati, monks in meditation, landscapes of Bihar, monuments and ruins at Sarnath, as well as several archaeological views linked to the traditional sites of the Buddha’s life. The book’s appeal also stems from the personality of Louis-Frédéric (1923–1996), an Indologist and historian specializing in Asian civilizations, who not only wrote the introduction and captions but also took the photographs. The BnF provides this precise breakdown of contributions and confirms the 1957 edition. Copy preserved in its original photographic dust jacket. The interior is in good condition and fresh. The dust jacket is worn, with scuffs, creases, small tears, and some missing sections at the top and bottom edges; old traces of protective wrapping or adhesive tape are visible. Nevertheless, it is a good copy, complete with this fragile dust jacket.