Recueil Des Figures, Groupes, Thermes, Fontaines, Vases, Statues, Et Autres Ornemens De Versailles. Tels Qu’ils Se Voyent A Present Dans Le Chateau & Parc De ~versillesgravé D’après Les Originaux. Par Simon Thomassin Graveur De Roy.
Bound in full contemporary mottled calf spine tooled in gilt, head and tale of spine are rubbed and worn. A fine fresh copy.
£650.00
Details
THE GARDEN STATUARY AT VERSAILLES
Publisher
Chezled Thomassin Riie St Jaques vis a vis La Riie Plastre a Enseigne de Annoneiation Avec Privil du Roi,
Place
Paris
Date
1694
Item Description
FIRST EDITION 8vo., 8 x 5.5 inches. Two engraved title pages, portrait + 23 pp. + 218 Engraved plates + 4 pp.
Illustrations
218 fine engraved plates
Notes
Thomassin 1654–1733 was sent by Colbert to study in Rome for four years before returning to France in 1680 and becoming court engraver to Louis XIV. Among his first projects after his return was to draw and publish illustrations of all the sculpture, ancient and modern, used to decorate the palace and gardens at Versailles. The plates depict not only the statuary, but also the fountains, hermae and vases distributed throughout the gardens. A rare second Paris edition with 26 additional plates was published in the same year as this first edition. There was also a Dutch edition in 1695.
[Stock No. 24970]