Aquarelle. (Reise um die Erde nach der Natur aufgenommen in Egypten, Indien, China, Japan, Manilla, Amerika etc. (and) Neue Folge (and) Aus Europa): 3 series in two portfolios (= all published)

Aquarelle. (Reise um die Erde nach der Natur aufgenommen in Egypten, Indien, China, Japan, Manilla, Amerika etc. (and) Neue Folge (and) Aus Europa). 3 series in two portfolios (= all published). Berlin, Raimund Mitscher (c. 1880). 68 chromolithographed views, each c. 360 x 270 mm by R. Steinbock and W. Loeillot after watercolours by Eduard Hildebrandt, printed on textured paper and mounted on card, printed title labels on verso. Loosely contained in two brown and red publisher's richly gilt stamped cloth portfolios, both front covers with blind embossed colour illustrations. Folio (575 x 470 mm). Edges worn and rubbed, corners mildly bumped.

Thieme-Becker XVII, 74f. First extremely uncommon complete edition, of this superb visual record of the Prussian court painter's travels, consisting of images of the Far East, including views in Bangkok, Rangoon, Hong Kong, Macao, Peking, and Singapore, views in North and South America, Near East and Europe. Our copy is divided into three sequences with separate titles of plates. 1. World travel comprising 34 plates. 2. Neue Folge comprising 20 plates and 3. Europe comprising 14 plates. Eduard Hildebrandt was born in Danzig in 1817. He studied with the marine artist Wilhelm Krause and with Eugene Isabey in Paris, winning three medals at the Paris salon in 1843. On his return to Berlin, his talent as a landscape painter attracted the attention of Alexander von Humboldt, who recommended him to the Prussian king, Friedrich Wilhelm IV. As a result, he was made painter to the royal court, and was supported in his subsequent extensive, and expensive, travels. In 1844-5 he visited America and Brazil; in 1847 he was in England, Portugal, Spain, the Canaries and Madeira; in 1851 Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, and Greece; and from 1862 to 1864 embarked on a travel around the world, from Trieste through Suez to India, and on to China, Japan, and the Pacific, and back via California and Central America. His despatches from the trip were published by the "Berlin Montagspost" and subsequently in book form. The original watercolours from the voyage were exhibited in London in 1866 and at an exhibition at Crystal Palace in 1868, just a year before his death. In 1871-1874, the Berlin-based publisher Wagner published a selection in one volume of 34 views of the more than 200 watercolours. One hinge of a portfolio flap damaged, plate 1 dust-soiled in margins, a fine and bright copy.