Inconvéniens d'un Voyage en Diligence

Paris: Chez Gihaut Freres... et Sazerac et Duval, 1826. The Disadvantages of Traveling by Stagecoach
Illustrated in Twelve Highly Amusing Lithographs

LEPRINCE, Xavier. Inconvéniens d'un Voyage en Diligence. [The Disadvantages of Traveling by Stagecoach]. Douze Tableaux, Lithographiés par... Paris: Chez Gihaut Freres... et Sazerac et Duval, 1826].

First edition. Oblong folio (10 3/8 x 13 5/8 inches; 264 x 346 mm.) Twelve hand-colored lithographed plates. Lithography by Englemann. Some light foxing, mainly marginal except the first two plates.

Publisher's quarter black roan over dark plum patterned boards, front cover lettered in gilt, smooth spine. Aside from the light foxing this is a near fine example.

The inconvenient rigors of travel by coach are illustrated in twelve highly amusing plates.

OCLC locates just five copies in libraries and institutions worldwide: Morgan Library & Museum (NY, US); Stanford University Library (CA, US); Brown University (RI, US); University of Liverpool (UK), and Kunstbiblio Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (Germany).

Auguste-Xavier Leprince (1799-1826), French painter and lithographer, 'was the son and pupil of the painter and lithographer Anne-Pierre Leprince and the elder brother of the painters Robert-Leopold Leprince (1800-47) and Gustave Leprince (1810-37). Leprince recieved a medal at his first Salon of 1819 for one of six entries, five of which were landscapes of 17th century Dutch inspiration, which came possibly via the work of Jean-Louis Demarne. Leprince quickly learnt to vary the contents of his paintings: at the Salon of 1822 his entries included three Paris street scenes, three portraits, and two scenes on board a frigate. His numerous Paris street scenes usually depicted some well-known contemporary event...In the last year of his short life Leprince showed himself to be a sensitive watercolour painter and lithographer, publishing a set of twelve lithographs entitled Inconvéniens d'un Voyage en Diligence" (Grove Dictionary of Art).

Leprince was credited with inventing a process of aquatint engraving which imitated a sepia wash or Chinese ink. He used this process for a number of Russian costume plates published either singly or bound in sets.

The Plates:

1. Comment j'ai perdu mon... coin?
2. Quand en n'a pas de memiore, il avoir des jambes!
3. La coie et la pluie, que c'est romantique.
4. Plaisantez vous? nous sommesa jeun depuis avant hier.
5. Cruels effets d'une digestion interrompue.
6. Dévouement forcé.
7. Pauvre bibi !! j'en mourrai ...peut etre.
8. Voila ce que c'est que de ne pas mettre en régle.
9. Allons! Allons! Il faut partir.
10. Le courage à l'Epreuve.
11. Les amusements des gentils douaniers.
12. Les douceurs du Retour.

Bobins III, 946; Lipperheide 3658.