[SILVESTRE, Charles-François?].
l[']Art de bien dessiner a la plume nouvellement mis au jour pour l[']utilité de la jeunesse.
Including:
(2): [SILVESTRE, Charles François]. Diverses figures Turcs propre à dessiner a la plume.
(3): [SILVESTRE, Charles François]. Second livre de figures Turcs propre à déssiner à la plume.
(4): [SILVESTRE, Charles François?]. Diverses figures de caprice propre a dessigner a la plume.
[Paris?, ca. 1700?]. 4 parts in 1 volume. Oblong 16mo (13 x 16 cm). Each part with engraved title-page and each with 11 unnumbered engraved plates. Contemporary French sprinkled, gold-tooled calf. [12], [12], [12], [12] engr. ll.
€ 28,500
Four extremely rare series of engraved European and Turkish costume figures, intended as models for children learning to draw and at least the Turkish ones drawn for the grandchildren of King Louis XIV of France. Each series has an engraved title-page and 11 model drawings, mostly with 2 figures each. The two parts with Turkish costume figures (ads 2-3) are explicitly called volumes 1 and 2, match each other in plate size and style, and were drawn by the artist and engraver (Charles) François Silvestre (1667-1731). The two parts with European figures and scenes (ads 1 & 4) also match each other in plate size and style, though not explicitly presented as two volumes of a single work, and the only other copy we have located of ad 4 is also bound with ad 1. Since the four series were clearly printed and published together Silvestre may also have drawn the European ones.
With owner's inscriptions. An owner has added a few lines in brown ink to the background scene of one plate. In very good condition. The binding shows some professional restoration but remains in good condition and is structurally sound. Four extremely rare series of drawing models, including 22 Turkish costume prints drawn for the grandchildren of Louis XIV. WorldCat & KVK (1 copy of ads 1 & 4 together plus 1 copy of ad 1 alone); cf. Cohen, cols. 103-104; Colas 2744; Lipperheide 1412; Hiler, p. 799.
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