France - France; Photo Giraudon / Vauban - Recueil des...

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban - Recueil des Places de Guerre (Atlas Louis XIV) - Collezione Monumentale di 37 Tavole Sciolte • Dimensioni: Each single plate measures exactly 39 x 29 cm. • Condizioni: Excellent (as new). The loose manuscript sheets are fresh, clean, with perfect margins and never trimmed. They have never been bound or framed, and are completely free of foxing, tears, or yellowing. • Retro delle mappe: The back of each plate is blank (white). • Origine del testo: Includes the text sheets with the historical introduction and the French-language preface by the renowned art historian Jacques Vanuxem. • Metodo di spedizione: Tracked and insured shipment via express courier, with rigid, flat (unrolled) protection to preserve the lot’s integrity. Descrizione Storico-Artistica: Splendid and exceptional cartographic portfolio containing 37 large-format loose plates. The work is a faithful high-definition art reproduction in facsimile derived from the famous Atlas Louis XIV (1683-1688). The original ink-and-wash and watercolor manuscripts were executed under the direction of the celebrated French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban and are today safeguarded at the Bibliothèque de l'Inspection du Génie and the Service historique de la Défense in Vincennes. The collection includes the most important fortified towns, citadels, and strategic ports of the Kingdom of France in the 17th century, among which the splendid maps of Toulon, Marseille, Amiens, and Bayonne stand out. Each plate is printed on high-quality thick paper by Imprimerie J. Vanderperre (Brussels) with photographic reproductions by Photo Giraudon (Paris). The plates are enriched with rich baroque allegorical cartouches (featuring mythological figures such as Neptune, Mercury, and Bellona), scenes of daily life, and finely colored wind roses. The extraordinary calligraphy is inspired by the Jarry school and was executed by Charles Gilbert. The work reproduces the 1683 manuscript entitled «Recueil des Places de Guerre des Provinces de Picardie, Champagne, Normandie, Poitou, Pays d'Aunis, Guienne, Navarre, Biscaye, Languedoc, Dauphiné, Bourgogne», which historically includes texts by Jean Racine and Nicolas Boileau. The presence of 37 plates attests to the extraordinary richness and total completeness of this particular art edition. A unique opportunity for collectors of historical cartography and military history.

Estimate:£2.53

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