Watteau

1735 · ref. 41750 — Paris: chez Gersaint 1735. Folio. 25 x 19 inches. Fine engraved title within an elaborate rococo design by Watteau engraved by Moyreau - 60 engravings on 58 plates 2 with two engravings per plate. Bound in a spectacular 19th century binding by Leighton full morocco spine with elaborate gilt floral tooling in compartments borders with wide gilt fillets and gilt turn-ins A collection of plates from the first and the fourth volume only two volumes were published. There is a very detailed description of this work the Schuhmann copy with 206 plates in Cohen de Ricci. It states that the vertical plates are in volume one and the horizontal plates are in volume two. Here we have 20 from volume one and 35 from volume two and 3 plates not listed in the bibliography. It further states that the Edmond de Rothschild incomplete collection contains the finest impressions.This collection contains the bookplate of Alfred Charles Freiherr de Rothschild of Halton House Bucks. The impressions of the engravings in this album are superb. Among the plates are two sets of the seasons- Spring Summer Autumn Winter- one horizontal and one vertical within oval cartouches plus La Musette L'ille Enchante Les Agreements de l'Ete- in fact they are all wonderful images mostly in the rococo Fetes Galantes style for which Watteau is legendary. They were engraved by the finest engravers of the time- Huquier Liotard Audran Fessard etc. Antoine Watteau 1684-1721- the master of Rococo and Fetes Galantes. Many of the subjects were drawn from the world of Italian comedy and ballet. Cohen de Ricci 1059. chez Gersaint unknown