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Emblem book devoted to the Sun-King Louis XIV of France

MARTINET, Jean.
Emblesmes royales a Louis le Grand.
Paris, Claude Barbin, 1673. 8vo. With 60 numbered half-page engraved emblems and one unnumbered emblem on extra inserted leaf. Modern marbled boards. [10 (of 12)], 219, [3] pp.
€ 1,250
First and only edition of an emblem book devoted to the Sun-King Louis XIV of France. The book is nicely produced with a woodcut vignette on title, little woodcut initials, large woodcut tail-pieces, and with borders built up out of ornamental cast fleurons underneath each emblem. And at the end of the dedication to Louis le Grand, the King's personal emblem, a woodcut sun, is added. The engraved emblems depict ancient gods and heroes, plants, animals, buildings, scenes of battle, etc. and are followed by brief poems in French. Unfortunately the second leaf is lacking, containing a poem titled "L'Arc de Triomphe", however, our copy does include the rare extra inserted emblem to Madame de Longueville.
Lacking leaf A2. Some occasional minor foxing, title-page restored in the gutter and last leaf restored at the lower outer corner. Otherwise in good condition. Landwehr, Romanic emblem books 504; Praz, p. 414; Saunders, The 17th-century French emblem, p. 7.
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Related Subjects:

Europe  >  France, Greece & Italy
Literature & linguistics  >  Emblem, Fable & Songbooks | English, French & German Literature