Zola, É. Rome (Rim), 1896. In Russian

Золя Э. Рим : Роман. / Пер. В. Л. Ранцова. (Издание редакции «Вестника иностранной литературы»).
Санкт-Петербург : Типография братьев Пантелеевых, 1896.
771 с. Твердый владельческий переплёт, увеличенный формат. Прижизненное издание.
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Zola, É. Rome (Rim) : A Novel. / Translated by V. L. Rantsov. (Publication of the editorial office of "Vestnik inostrannoy literatury").
St. Petersburg : Tipografiya brat'yev Panteleevykh, 1896.
771 pp. Hard owner's binding, enlarged format. Lifetime edition.

This 1896 edition of Rome is a remarkable lifetime publication of Émile Zola’s work in Russia, released the same year as the original French debut. It is the second installment of his "Three Cities" trilogy (Lourdes, Rome, Paris), a series that marked a significant departure from his earlier naturalistic cycles into the realm of philosophical and social critique.
In Rome, Zola explores the journey of the young priest Pierre Froment to the Eternal City, where he seeks an audience with the Pope to defend his book on "New Catholicism." The novel serves as a grand canvas, contrasting the ancient ruins and the grandeur of the Vatican with the rising tide of socialism and the persistent poverty of the modern city. It is a profound meditation on the struggle between traditional religious dogma and the "new religion" of science and social justice—themes that resonated deeply with the Russian intelligentsia of the late 19th century.
The translation by Vladimir Rantsov, a prolific figure in the late-Imperial literary scene, was published by the editorial office of the influential journal Vestnik Inostrannoy Literatury (Herald of Foreign Literature). This large-format volume, printed by the renowned Panteleev Brothers, reflects the high prestige Zola held in Russia, where he was viewed not only as a novelist but as a moral authority and champion of truth following the Dreyfus Affair. This substantial tome is a primary artifact for collectors of Zola’s international bibliography and historians of the Russian-French literary dialogue.