PHILOSTRATE. The Images or Paintings in Flat Painting by the - Lot 192

PHILOSTRATE. The Images or Paintings in Flat Painting by the Two Greek Sophists Named Philostratus and the Statues of Callistratus. Paris, Widow of Abel l'Angelier, Widow of Guillemot, 1614 [1615]. Folio, red morocco leather, rolled edge within a frame, decorated spine, gilt edges (contemporary binding). The first complete and illustrated edition, in Blaise de Vigenère’s translation, of this masterpiece of French literature from the Baroque period. (Balsamo & Simonin, no. 553; Landwehr, Romanic, no. 586; Praz, pp. 453–454.) A copy from the second printing, with the date altered to 1615 by the addition of a numeral in pen. Magnificent intaglio-engraved illustrations, including a frontispiece title page and 68 full-page figures in the text engraved by Jaspar Isac, Léonard Gaultier, and Thomas de Leu, some based on works by Antoine Caron, Primaticcio’s collaborator at Fontainebleau. Bound copy in period morocco leather. It comes from the Anatole France Library at the Château de La Béchellerie (1981, no. 22). A small tear, with no missing material, has been restored at the bottom of f. A1; there is a repair at the bottom of f. B3; a paper tear with no loss of text on f. K5; and a small corner tear on ff. O6, P1, Q6, and Ff1; a significant tear with loss of text at the corner of f. Z1. Slight water stain and a small tear affecting the text on pp. 422–423. Leaf Xx2 is shorter and comes from another copy. Skillful restorations to the headbands; scuffing on the binding. Ink stains on the endpapers and half-ends.

Estimate:£1,251.99

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