Hardcover volume, 8vo, 24.3 x 16.5 cm, bound in contemporary full marbled calf, spine with raised bands, gilt floral tools in compartments, gilt title lettering, marbled end-papers and all edges, printed on laid paper 23.9 x 5.5 cm with a watermark, entirely engraved (frontispiece, title, nine plates, and text), gatherings not indicated.

Title-page (engraved, vignette, tall 's') LE | TEMPLE | DE | GNIDE | Nouvelle Edition, | Avec Figures | Gravées par N. LE MIRE, | des Acad. De Vienne en Autriche et de Rouen, | D’apres les Dessins de Ch. Eisen. | Le Texte Gravé par Droüet. | — | {3 lines quotation from Gallien} | A PARIS | Chez le Mire Graveur | Rue St. Etienne des Gres. | AVEC PRIVELEGE DU ROI. | 1772. ||

Frontispiece (engraved, vignette): Portrait medallion inscribed "CHARLES SECONDAT DE MONTESQUIEU — N. Le Mire del et sc", signed beneath "N. le Mire sculp 1771"; under the plate: "Dessiné par Ch. Eisen, et Gravé par N. le Mire."

Pagination: frontispiece, t.p. / explication, dedication, [i] ii-vii [viii blank] 1-104 [105-6 blanks]; engraved throughout, plus 9 plates by Le Mire after Eisen.
Catalogue Raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 726-27; Ray, French Illustrated Book, №32/p. 61-2.
Ref.: MFA (Boston): Accession Number 37.1726.
Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) – artist.

Noël Le Mire (French, 1724 – 1801) – engraver, publisher.

Droüet (French, 18th century) – text engraver.

Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (French, 1689 – 1755) – author.

Additional Information

Collection European prints and drawings , Illustrated books , Library
Type / Purpose Book
Period 18 AD , Late 18th century
Country France
Language French
Subject Beauty , Classical , Pastoral
Media/Technique Copperplate engraving , Engraving , Etching , Laid paper , Paper
Size 8vo
Creation / Publishing year 1772
Edition 1st edition
Binding Calf , Full calf , Hardcover
Catalogue raisonne Cohen, de Ricci (1912) , Ray, French Illustrated Book
Acquisition year 2020

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