The Trial of Gracchus Babeuf before the High Court of Vendome,
ed. and trans. by John Anthony Scott
(Northhampton, MA: The Gehenna Press, 1964).

François-Noël Babeuf (1760-1797), known as Gracchus Babeuf, was a French revolutionary and reputedly one of the first communists, who advocated the abolition of private property. A prolific writer, he rose to prominence as the new French government faced economic crisis and widespread suffering, with little effective remedy. He was tried and executed in 1797 for fomenting rebellion.

The Defense is a modern translation of Babeuf’s apologia on his own behalf at his trial. Twenty-one etched portraits include leading French Enlightenment figures; pictured on the open page here is Babeuf himself. The outstanding illustrations are by Thomas Cornell (1937-2012), who signed each image in pencil. The etchings were printed by Emiliano Sorini in New York, on loose blue Fabriano paper that has been laid in; the text is gathered in unbound quires. The noted illustrator and artist Leonard Baskin, who founded the Gehenna Press, designed the book. Our copy is number 87 from a limited edition of 300, signed again at the back by Cornell. The book is a gift of Christa Cornell.