Beschreibung:

Title: L'Art des emblemes ou s'enseigne la morale par les figures de la fable, de l'histoire et de la Nature Author: Ménestrier, [Claude-François] Place: Paris Publisher: R.J.B. de la Caille Date: 1684 Description: [3] 6-15 [1] 415 pp [1]. Engraved vignette to title page, with headpieces, tailpieces and, most significantly, with approximately 355 woodcut illustrations of emblems. (8vo) possibly 18th century binding (?) of brown tree calf lettered, ruled, and ornamented in gilt on spine, raised bands, marbled edges. First Edition. This volume is an early French emblem book; not a later edition of the author's "L'art des emblêmes," Lyon, l662, but a different work about emblems, their design and meaning. From Wikipedia: "Ménestrier [1631-1705] was a French heraldist, a member of the Society of Jesus [Jesuit], a numismatist and antiquary, and attendant of the royal court.... He composed numerous books on heraldry, in which he was one of the greatest authorities of his age.... Ménestrier maintained that we can know the essence of heraldry only from the sources from the age of living heraldry but he was also influenced by the heraldic view of his age." The handsome armorial bookplate of Theodore Pagan is on the front pastedown and a bookplate from Arthur Mullin is affixed to the opposite FEP. Lot Amendments Condition: Small losses at spine head and tail, minor, mild rubbing to the boards, the rounded corners are moderately bumped; the textblock feels firmly bound in although the hinges are cracked, occasional stains and toning to pages; very good. Item number: 295911