CLAUDE GELLEE, called Le Lorrain (c.1600-1682). Liber veritatis: or, A collection of two hundred prints, after the original designs ... in the collection of ... the Duke of Devonshire . London: John Boydell 1777. Volumes I-II only (of 3), 2° (415 x 271mm). Mezzotint portrait frontispiece of the artist by J. Boydell in volume I, 200 etched mezzotint plates by R. Earlom after Claude printed in bistre. (Some light browning of plates, plate 34 spotted at margins, plate 63 repaired on verso, lacking portrait of Earlom in vol. II.) Contemporary calf, spines gilt, marbled endpapers, yellow edges (worn, covers detached). FIRST COMPLETE EDITION 'with the engravings in the best and final state.' A third volume, containing another 100 mezzotints from the Liber veritatis , was published in 1819. Abbey included 'this capital work' in his catalogue since it was such 'a landmark in the history of reproduction of master drawings ... an important forerunner of later publications.' The warm bistre colour of Richard Earlom's plates undoubtedly recreates the striking effects of Claude's seaport scenes and pastoral landscapes, while the letterpress supplies 'the names of those for whom ... the original pictures were first painted,' taken from Claude's notes on the back of each drawing. There appear to have been two issues. The Abbey copy has a variant imprint and '14' preliminary pages in vol. I. This copy appears complete with 12pp. in vol. I, but lacks the frontispiece in vol. II. Brunet III, 1169; Cohen-De Ricci 242; Lewine p. 325; Lowndes p. 1398; Abbey Life 200. (2)
CLAUDE GELLEE, called Le Lorrain (c.1600-1682). Liber veritatis: or, A collection of two hundred prints, after the original designs ... in the collection of ... the Duke of Devonshire . London: John Boydell 1777. Volumes I-II only (of 3), 2° (415 x 271mm). Mezzotint portrait frontispiece of the artist by J. Boydell in volume I, 200 etched mezzotint plates by R. Earlom after Claude printed in bistre. (Some light browning of plates, plate 34 spotted at margins, plate 63 repaired on verso, lacking portrait of Earlom in vol. II.) Contemporary calf, spines gilt, marbled endpapers, yellow edges (worn, covers detached). FIRST COMPLETE EDITION 'with the engravings in the best and final state.' A third volume, containing another 100 mezzotints from the Liber veritatis , was published in 1819. Abbey included 'this capital work' in his catalogue since it was such 'a landmark in the history of reproduction of master drawings ... an important forerunner of later publications.' The warm bistre colour of Richard Earlom's plates undoubtedly recreates the striking effects of Claude's seaport scenes and pastoral landscapes, while the letterpress supplies 'the names of those for whom ... the original pictures were first painted,' taken from Claude's notes on the back of each drawing. There appear to have been two issues. The Abbey copy has a variant imprint and '14' preliminary pages in vol. I. This copy appears complete with 12pp. in vol. I, but lacks the frontispiece in vol. II. Brunet III, 1169; Cohen-De Ricci 242; Lewine p. 325; Lowndes p. 1398; Abbey Life 200. (2)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
