One of the Most Beautiful and Delightful Illustrated Books of the 18th Century, Offered in Fine Contemporary Morocco

CHOIX DE CHANSONS MISES EN MUSIQUE . . . ORNÉE D'ESTAMPES PAR J. M. MOREAU. ("CHANSONS DE LABORDE").

(FRENCH ILLUSTRATED BOOKS). (MUSIC). (ENGRAVED BOOKS). LABORDE, BENJAMIN.

(Paris: Chez de Lormel, Imprimeur de l'Academie Royale de Musique, 1773). 237 x 160 mm. (9 1/4 x 6 1/4"). Engraved throughout. Four volumes. FIRST EDITION, First Issue, with pencilled correction of "affreux Serpent" on p. 54 of Vol. II.

Tasteful contemporary crimson morocco, gilt, covers with triple fillet border, floral garland at corners, crossed trumpets with laurel branches at center, smooth spines in gilt compartments with floral sprig within an oval catkin wreath, two tan morocco labels, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt (restorations to head of two spines). ENGRAVED THROUGHOUT: Engraved decorative title page and dedication page in volume I, three engraved frontispieces by Le Bouteux and Le Barbier in volumes II-IV, one of these a portrait of the dedicatee La Dauphine Marie Antoinette, and 100 FULL-PAGE PLATES, the 25 in volume I designed and engraved by Moreau le jeune (all with tissue guards), those in volumes II-IV engraved by Masquelier and Née after designs by Le Barbier, Le Bouteux, and Saint-Quentin (about one-third of the plates with original tissue guards). Without the separately printed portrait of Laborde issued in 1774 and found in some copies. Cohen-de Ricci pp. 534-38; Ray 49 (pp. 90-91), p. 76; Lewine, pp. 266-68. Spines slightly and evenly sunned, a hint of wear at corners, but the bindings otherwise beautifully preserved, with only the most trivial imperfections; internally with isolated inconsequential foxing or small stains. A VERY FINE CONTEMPORARY SET, the lovely bindings scarcely worn, the margins extremely ample, the contents clean and fresh, and THE ENGRAVINGS RICHLY IMPRESSED.

Dedicated to the crown princess Marie Antoinette, this opulent production--offered here in fine contemporary morocco--beautifully displays the music, fashion, and aristocratic antics of Louis XV's court, perfectly encapsulating the French Rococo. According to Cohen-de Ricci, "This book—one of the most beautiful of the 18th century—is perhaps, along with 'Contes de La Fontaine,' the most delightful, by virtue of the grace of its subjects and the variety of the costumes depicted therein." It contains some of the most elegant and memorable engravings to be seen in any French work of the period, and they transform a book of (perhaps more than occasionally vapid) songs into a profoundly pleasurable visual experience. The author, Benjamin de Laborde (or Jean-Benjamin de La Borde, 1734-94), was the hunchbacked valet of King Louis XV. In consequence of the monarch's indulgence of his favorite, de Laborde's songs were given a presentation described by Ray as being of "the utmost sumptuousness," the entire work having been produced by engraving. The first volume, which Cohen-de Ricci, Ray, and Lemire unanimously proclaim a "masterpiece," is graced by plates that were both designed and cut by Jean-Michel Moreau (called Moreau le jeune, 1741-1814). Ray says that the work done by Moreau le jeune during the 1760s "showed him to be the equal of the established rococo masters Boucher, Eisen, and Gravelot," and that in his work during the 1770s, "he carried all before him." So, Moreau was in his prime then when he executed these charming scenes, often of courtship, set in pastures, pleasure parks, and elegant interiors; they represent the culmination of the Rococo style, delicate and lush without being cloying. Because of a quarrel between the artist and the author, the final three volumes were illustrated by Le Bouteux and by Jean-Jacques-François Le Barbier (1738-1826). Le Barbier was one of the first great French neoclassical illustrators, and Ray declares the engravings here his "most sustained and accomplished series of illustrations, apart from that for Gessner's 'Oeuvres,'" and laments that the present work "has not received the attention it deserves." Le Barbier's compositions are characterized by charm, grace, and elaborate and convincing detail. This first printing presents the engravings at the height of their richness and power, which has been undimmed by the intervening centuries. With any copy of this work, the engravings will always take center stage, but here the tasteful contemporary red morocco bindings deserve a prolonged bow: they are perfectly elegant and elegantly perfect. (ST20891)

Price: $9,500.00