Farbige Decorationen vom XV-XIX Jahrhundert: Colour Decoration from the 15th to 19th Centuries

Set of elephant-folio plates only from Ernst Ewald's important review of European interior design.

144 (of 160) huge, 48x32cm chromolithographic plates (35 double page 48x64cm with two plate numbers), many finished with gold, plus b/w plate 77a (lacking plates: 2, 3, 22, 44, 52, 53 in Vol. I, and 63, 64, 74-80 in Vol. II).

Extra plate of friezes from Ernest Bodin's Manuel de Peintures, Paris, 1874.

With 12 pages of German text in Vol. I, and 15 pages in Vol. II.

Chromolithographed by Ernst Wasmuth after designs by Ernst Ewald, Moritz Meurer, Adolf Rettelbusch, Paul Klinka, Richard Hendorf, R. Wolffenstein, A.J. Balcke, etc.

The spectacular plates depict walls and ceilings from ancient Pompeii to the Renaissance, from the Baroque and Rococo to Art Nouveau. The buildings include Versailles, the Palace of Fontainebleau and the Louvre, the Vatican and the Villa Madama, the Ducal Palace (Mantua), Uffizi Gallery (Florence), church of Saint Nicolas (Palermo), the Germania (Berlin), Fugger Houses (Augsburg), Hennige House (Magdeburg), Wroclaw National Museum (Poland), Rathhause (Prague), Bardo Palace (Tunis), castles, synagogues, department stores, etc.

Very uncommon title of architectural history.

Ernst Ewald (1836-1904) was a German painter first studied natural sciences, before studying painting with Carl Steffeck in Berlin and Thomas Couture in Paris. He also studied 15th century art in Italy. His works include murals, window paintings, mosaics, and other architectural designs.

Chromolithographic plates in very good condition with deep colour, many finished with gold, a few with spots, tears or chips to edges, one double-page plate split along the fold and repaired with tape. Portfolios perished.