Le Premier [Second] Volume des plus excellents bastiments de France
Androuet Du Cerceau, Jacques
Paris. Pour ledit Iacques Androuet, du Cerceau. 1576; 1579
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Rare first editions of both parts of Jacques Androuet du Cerceau's work on the ancient palaces of France.
The most important of the engraved works of Jacques Androuet du Cerceau and the earliest survey of major French renaissance buildings. The two volumes illustrate the 36 principal chateaux of France as they appeared in the 16th century in plans, elevations, perspective views and details.
Dedicated to Catherine de Medici after the death of Renée de France (the initial dedicatee), Androuet du Cerceau illustrates the following chateaux: Vol. I: Louvre (9 plates), Vincennes (2), Chambord (3), Boulogne dit Madrid (10), Creil (1), Coussy (5), Folembray (2), Montargis (5), St. Germain en Laye (7), La Muette (3), Vallery (5), Verneuil (10), Anssy-le-France (4), Gaillon (9), Maune (2); Vol. II: Blois (5), Amboise (3), Fontainebleau (7), Villers-Cotterets (3), Charleval (5), Les Tuileries (4), St. Maur (3), Chenonceaux (4), Chantilly (9), Anet (10), Ecouen (5), Dampierre (4), Challuau (3), Beauregard (3), Bury (4).
' ... nul autre pays ne peut offrir un monument aussi précieux et digne d'autant d'éloges. On ne sait vraiment qui l'on doit le plus admirer, du Cerceau de l'avoir exécuté, ou les rois de France Henri II, François II et Charles IX, d'avoir eu l'intelligence de persévérer dans cette entreprise au-dessus de laquelle Cathérine de Médicis, sans doute, veillait aussi avec son intelligence des choses de l'architecture ... '. (Geymüller).
'The two volumes ... contain one of the most beautiful series of engraved plates of monumental structures to appear in the sixteenth century ... In some cases Androuet du Cerceau's engravings are among the few surviving sources of information on the monuments, including the two 'fantasy' palaces of Verneuil and Charleval, the Maison Blanche at Gaillon, and the interesting wood Grande Salle du Palais in Paris. In other cases, the illustrations give a wealth of information on monuments now ruined, altered or dispersed.' (Millard).
[Mortimer French 23; Millard French 8 (First edition of vol. I, second edition (1607) of vol. II); Fowler 24 (vol. I only); Berlin 2456; RIBA 100, 101 (second edition of vol. II); see Geymüller, Les du Cerceau, 1887].
The most important of the engraved works of Jacques Androuet du Cerceau and the earliest survey of major French renaissance buildings. The two volumes illustrate the 36 principal chateaux of France as they appeared in the 16th century in plans, elevations, perspective views and details.
Dedicated to Catherine de Medici after the death of Renée de France (the initial dedicatee), Androuet du Cerceau illustrates the following chateaux: Vol. I: Louvre (9 plates), Vincennes (2), Chambord (3), Boulogne dit Madrid (10), Creil (1), Coussy (5), Folembray (2), Montargis (5), St. Germain en Laye (7), La Muette (3), Vallery (5), Verneuil (10), Anssy-le-France (4), Gaillon (9), Maune (2); Vol. II: Blois (5), Amboise (3), Fontainebleau (7), Villers-Cotterets (3), Charleval (5), Les Tuileries (4), St. Maur (3), Chenonceaux (4), Chantilly (9), Anet (10), Ecouen (5), Dampierre (4), Challuau (3), Beauregard (3), Bury (4).
' ... nul autre pays ne peut offrir un monument aussi précieux et digne d'autant d'éloges. On ne sait vraiment qui l'on doit le plus admirer, du Cerceau de l'avoir exécuté, ou les rois de France Henri II, François II et Charles IX, d'avoir eu l'intelligence de persévérer dans cette entreprise au-dessus de laquelle Cathérine de Médicis, sans doute, veillait aussi avec son intelligence des choses de l'architecture ... '. (Geymüller).
'The two volumes ... contain one of the most beautiful series of engraved plates of monumental structures to appear in the sixteenth century ... In some cases Androuet du Cerceau's engravings are among the few surviving sources of information on the monuments, including the two 'fantasy' palaces of Verneuil and Charleval, the Maison Blanche at Gaillon, and the interesting wood Grande Salle du Palais in Paris. In other cases, the illustrations give a wealth of information on monuments now ruined, altered or dispersed.' (Millard).
[Mortimer French 23; Millard French 8 (First edition of vol. I, second edition (1607) of vol. II); Fowler 24 (vol. I only); Berlin 2456; RIBA 100, 101 (second edition of vol. II); see Geymüller, Les du Cerceau, 1887].
2 vols. in 1. Folio. (400 x 300 mm). Vol. I: Printed title with list of 'Bastimens' verso, leaf with du Cerceau's dedication 'A tresillustre et Tres vertueuse Princesse Catherine de Medicis, Royne' (verso blank), six leaves of text with description of each of the 'Bastimens' and 77 engraved plates on 64 sheets, all double-page (engraving for 'La Muette' printed inverted, plate for 'Anssi le Franc' with folded edges retaining deckle); Vol. II: Printed title with list of 'Bastimens' verso, leaf with du Cerceau's dedication to Catherine de Medici (verso blank), five leaves with descriptive text, blank leaf A8 (as called for in the collation) and 72 engraved plates on 61 leaves, all double-page. Plates captioned in French and Latin. Decorative woodcut head-pieces and elaborate ten- and nine-line woodcut initials for dedication leaves, six- and four-line woodcut initials for the text, decorative woodcut tail-piece concluding the text for vol. II. Annotations in sepia ink to list of 'Bastimens' in each vol. with details of the descriptive text and plate numbers ('Lieu des Explications'), leaves with manuscript numeration at upper right in sepia ink throughout. Title and text for each vol. bound as a single gathering, plates on large folding sheets and mounted on tabs throughout; sheet size (unfolded): c.390 x 535 mm. Occasional scattered soiling and browning, occasional repaired tears. Full eighteenth century French mottled calf, boards ruled in blind, banded spine with title gilt and red morocco title label in seven compartments, red speckled edges.
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