Oeuvres de Mgr. Landroit évèque de La Rochelle et Saintes : conférence, allocutions, discours et mandements 1864

This is the cover and frontispiece of the collected works of Jean-François Landriot, Bishop of La Rochelle, published in Paris in 1864. We see the title page announcing the conferences, speeches, and mandates contained within, opposite a photographic portrait of the Bishop. The publication of such a collection provides insight into the social role of religious figures in mid-19th century France, when the Catholic Church still wielded considerable influence. The book itself functions as a carefully constructed monument to Landriot's authority, and offers a window into the Church's efforts to shape public opinion and social norms. To understand Landriot's place within the broader context of French society at this time, a historian might consult diocesan archives and periodicals, study the writings of his contemporaries, and consider the institutional history of the Catholic Church. Approaching the book as a cultural artifact reveals how power and social values were negotiated during a period of great political and social change.