Les Travaux Publics de la France. Routes et Ponts, Chemins de Fer, Rivières et Canaux, Ports de Mer, Phares et Balises par Mm. F. Lucas et V. Fuornie, Ed. Collignon, H. de Legreue, Voisin Bey, E. Allard
Reynaud, Léonce
Paris. Quantin for J. Rothschild. 1883
Sold
Subscriber's copy of this rare photographic work on the extensive public works undertaken in Napoleon III's France.
The work, issued in parts as here, in its entirety records the public works built in France from the mid 1850s to the late 1870s. It was published in Paris under the auspices of the French Ministère des Travaux Publics by the Baron James Rothschild between 1876 and 1883.
Each volume contains 50 collotypes from photographs by France's most prestigious photographers: Baldus, Davanne, Berthaud, Collard (Paris), De Bray (Nice), Cabibel (Perpignan), Cognac (La Rochelle), Delon (Toulouse), Duclos (Quimper), Joguet (Lyon), De Labrador (Bayonne), Letellier (LeHavre), Magny (Coutances), Pacault (Pau), Prompt (Albi), Provost (Beziers), Romanowski (Montpellier), Sarault (Asnieres), Terpereau (Bordeaux) and Terris (Marseilles). Baldus, who had worked on government commissions as early as 1852 when he participated in a project to record France's monuments, also worked with the Baron James Rothschild in the early 1860s photographing views and architecture on railroad lines in the environs of Paris. His close relationship with Rothschild suggests that he was probably the chief photographer for the 'Travaux Publics' volumes. A few plates do not match up with the plate descriptions in the text (e.g. there are 3 different views of Brest but none of Boulogne) but the copy collates as complete.
The idea for this series came out of an exhibit of photographs arranged by the French Ministry of Public Works held at the Universal Exhibition in Vienna in 1873. Many of the images in this series were borrowed from that exhibition; others were added later. A number of the original photographs were also exhibited in subsequent world fairs and expositions: Philadelphia, 1876; Paris, 1878 and Melbourne, 1880.
The work, issued in parts as here, in its entirety records the public works built in France from the mid 1850s to the late 1870s. It was published in Paris under the auspices of the French Ministère des Travaux Publics by the Baron James Rothschild between 1876 and 1883.
Each volume contains 50 collotypes from photographs by France's most prestigious photographers: Baldus, Davanne, Berthaud, Collard (Paris), De Bray (Nice), Cabibel (Perpignan), Cognac (La Rochelle), Delon (Toulouse), Duclos (Quimper), Joguet (Lyon), De Labrador (Bayonne), Letellier (LeHavre), Magny (Coutances), Pacault (Pau), Prompt (Albi), Provost (Beziers), Romanowski (Montpellier), Sarault (Asnieres), Terpereau (Bordeaux) and Terris (Marseilles). Baldus, who had worked on government commissions as early as 1852 when he participated in a project to record France's monuments, also worked with the Baron James Rothschild in the early 1860s photographing views and architecture on railroad lines in the environs of Paris. His close relationship with Rothschild suggests that he was probably the chief photographer for the 'Travaux Publics' volumes. A few plates do not match up with the plate descriptions in the text (e.g. there are 3 different views of Brest but none of Boulogne) but the copy collates as complete.
The idea for this series came out of an exhibit of photographs arranged by the French Ministry of Public Works held at the Universal Exhibition in Vienna in 1873. Many of the images in this series were borrowed from that exhibition; others were added later. A number of the original photographs were also exhibited in subsequent world fairs and expositions: Philadelphia, 1876; Paris, 1878 and Melbourne, 1880.
5 vols. Large folio. (555 x 398 mm). Each vol. with half-title and title printed in red and black and with publisher's device, preface, notice on Léonce Reynaud in vol. I with author portrait on India paper, numerous illustrations and maps in the text, 7 double-page chromolithographic maps and 250 collotypes (several double-page and folding), 50 for each vol., each photograph mounted on card with lithograph caption and numbered I - L in Roman numerals in pencil, several with additional annotation in pencil. Vol. 4 without half-title or title, vol. 5 with duplicate of pp. 134 / 135. Sheet size: 554 x 394 mm. Each vol. loose as issued in original publisher's cloth-backed paste board portfolios with titles and manuscript labels to upper covers.
#44460
