The Art of the French Illustrated Book, 1700-1914 (Vols. I and II)

[London]: The Pierpont Morgan Library / Cornell University Press, 1982. First Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/very good +. First printing, folio size, 598 pp. Per the jacket flap: "These volumes constitute the first comprehensive history in English of French book illustration from 1700-1914. By their inclusion of Romantic lithographic albums, indeed they go beyond any comparable book in French....abundant illustrations have been provided... with copies containing exceptional or unique material...each selection is accompanied by historical, critical, and detailed descriptions."

Invaluable to libraries as well as collectors is a list of "100 outstanding illustrated books of the period... a roll call of illustrators such as Daumier, Denis, Gravelot, Eisen, Moreau, Grandville, Gavarni, Tony Johannot, Dore, and Lepere, to mention only some of the most notable. To these are added many of the great French painters who turned their hands to illustration, among them Bonnard, Boucher, Chasseriah, Fragonard, Gericault, Delacroix, Manet, Redon, Pissaro, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso" (ibid).

___DESCRIPTION: Bound in red cloth over boards, gilt decoration on front covers, gilt lettering on spines, red decorated endpapers, replete with black and white photo reproductions, text in double columns; folio size (12" x 9 1/4"), pagination (note the text pages are paginated continuously): Volume I [i-viii] ix-xxxii, [1-2] 3-245 [1, blank] [1, colophon], Volume II [i-vi], 247-557, [1 page blank] [1,colophon].

___CONDITION: Volumes are near fine, with clean boards, straight corners with minimal rubbing, strong, square text blocks with solid hinges, the interiors are clean and bright, and entirely free of prior owner markings; minimal bumping and very light wear to the head and tail of the spines. The dust jackets are better than very good, bright and glossy with traces of soiling and minimal edgewear, with a very small abraded area at the head of the spine for the jacket on Volume I (not obscuring any text).

___POSTAGE: Please note that this is an overly large and heavy two-volume set, and therefore additional postage will apply. We are happy to ship at cost to both domestic and international customers, please inquire for details.

___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help.