Beschreibung:

LUYNES, HONORÉ T. P. JOSEPH D'ALBERT, DUC DE — CHARLES NÈGRE [PHOTOGRAPHER]Voyage d'Exploration a la Mer Morte a Petra et sur la River Gauche du Jourdain. Paris: Arthus Bertrand, Imprimerie de E. Martinet, [1868-74] Atlas only, large 4to (14 1/4 x 10 3/4 in.). Half-title, 2 folding colored maps, engraved plate of the expedition's vessel, 64 photogravure plates by Charles Nègre after Louis Vignes illustrating the Luynes expedition and numbered 1-64, 1 of which double-page, 4 maps or plans, one of which one double-page, 14 tinted lithographed plates by Ciceri after photographs by Vignes and Sauvaire illustrating the Mauss expedition, with the maps numbered 1-18, 14 plates from the text volumes including 8 lithographed plates of shells, 2 engraved plates of elevations, 4 chromolithographed geological maps. Expertly bound to style in half dark purple morocco over period purple cloth covered boards. An incunable of photomechanically-illustrated books The Duc de Luynes inherited significant wealth and spent his life on scientific, archeological, and artistic pursuits. Among those was this 1864 private expedition to the Dead Sea basin and interior of Jordan to examine the region's ancient ruins and perform geological and scientific observations. Luynes was accompanied on the expedition by Lieutenant Louis Vignes who served as the expedition's photographer, as well as noted geologist Louis Lartet. Nearly a decade prior to this expedition, in 1856, Luynes had sponsored a contest with the Societe Française de Photographie to discover the best and most practical system of photomechanically reproducing photographs. This seminal event is credited with launching the development of the photobook. Among the participants in the contest was Charles Nègre Although Nègre did not win the 7,000-franc prize, Luynes selected him in 1865 to reproduce Vignes's photographs in this official account of the expedition, paying him 23,250 francs for the commission. Luynes died before the work would be published, leaving the task to his son and Le Comte de Vogëé. The volumes of text (not present here) were published over several years, the first volume containing Luyne's account, the second volume comprised of Vignes's memoir (coupled with an account of a separate expedition by Mauss to Karak also sponsored by Luynes), with the final volume of geological observations not appearing until 1874. While the archaeological and scientific observations within the text were groundbreaking at the time, the work is today best appreciated for its stunning atlas of photogravure plates. "The book ... remains one of the finest photomechanically printed books of the era" (Parr and Badger). REFERENCE:Rohricht 2824; Truthful Lens 109; Parr & Badger I:33; James Borcoman, Charles Nègre 1820-1880 45-46; Foster et al., Imagining Paradise; Jamme, Art of French Calotype 222Condition ReportCondition as described in catalogue entry. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The