Treasures of Art in Great Britain: Being an Account of the Chief Collections of Paintings, Drawings, Sculptures, Illuminated MSS &c. In three volumes

London : John Murray, 1854. Cloth. Good Only. 9" by 6". None. Waagen's scarce seminal work, a journey of discovery into British art by an expert visiting England from Germany, cataloguing the art treasures in private collections of the 1850s. Bookseller's stamp of Knibb, Leamington to front pastedowns. Binder's stamp of Edmonds and Remnants, London to the rear pastedown of volume I. With copperplate signatures to front pastedowns. Publisher's catalogue to rear of volume II. Waagen's publications highlighted the hitherto unknown wealth of the private collections of Great Britain, while his application of the new techniques of German art historical studies and museology revolutionized British practice.Treasures of Art in Great Britain was a straightforward catalogue of the 200 most important collections of the country, the most complete survey ever made. Waagen was the first to question many of the legendary and optimistic attributions of pictures in the private collections of the British aristocracy: his Treasures of Art is still used in auction rooms today to establish a painting's provenance and quality. Through his detailed study of British collections, his desire to enlighten a nation which he considered in need of education in art historical matters, his fluent advocacy of the seriousness of the fine arts and their economic and social importance, Waagen shaped the development of public provision for the arts in Britain to a greater extent than any of his peers. DNB Dr Waagen was director of the Royal Gallery of Pictures, Berlin. In original cloth bindings, could be rebound. Externally, bumped and rubbed to extremities with wear to the spine tops and tails. Half the backstrip of volume I is coming away. Two joints are cracked, three starting. The front hinges are strained. Internally, generally firmly bound although strained in places, with some gatherings working loose. Generally bright and clean with just light spotting prominent to the endpapers. Good Only