Le TASSE

First edition of this new translation by Charles François Lebrun superbly illustrated in first printing by Gravelot. 2 titles with fleurons engraved by Drouet, 2 frontispieces with medallion portraits of Tasso and Gravelot, 20 figures by the same, 28 tailpieces (12 hors-texte) and 20 head-vignettes of the main characters' portraits from the text. Copy on deluxe Holland paper, with wide margins.
Contemporary full red morocco binding. Smooth spine decorated with 4 large urns, series of thick and thin fillets. Green morocco title and volume labels. Roll tooling on edges and inner dentelle. Gilt edges. Decorative frame dentelle on boards doubled with fillets. Spine uniformly faded. At head of volume 1, a micro cut and trace of a tear. Along the upper joint of volume 1, a hole measuring 8mm. Set very fresh overall, but the presence of tissue guards has sometimes caused spotting in the margins of the engravings or on the facing page. Light traces of rubbing. 2 upper corners, one per volume, with loss of leather.
Very handsome copy, despite minor defects.
Translation of great elegance by Lebrun, future consul and Duke of Plaisance, who had composed this translation during his fifteen years of retirement on his estate at Grillon near Dourdan, after having served Maupeou who was overthrown in 1774. Since its creation in 1581, this account of the first crusade, of powerful lyricism, was a great classic until the mid-nineteenth century, influencing all the arts, with operas, paintings and tapestries; one can compare its influence and cultural presence to Ovid's Metamorphoses.

First edition of this new translation by Charles François Lebrun illustrated in first printing by Gravelot. 2 title pages with fleurons engraved by Drouet, 2 frontispieces with medallion portraits of Tasso and Gravelot, 20 figures by the same, 28 tailpieces (12 hors-texte) and 20 vignettes at the head of portraits of the main characters from the text.
Full glazed lavallière calf binding. Raised band spine decorated. Red morocco title label, green morocco volume label. Triple fillet frame on boards. Red edges. Traces of rubbing. Some stains on boards without consequence. Dampstain to volume II, from p. 65 to 68 and p. 92 to 96 in upper margin extending somewhat onto the text, otherwise fresh throughout.
Very handsome copy.
Manuscript notes at head of endpaper pages: Ces 2 volumes ont été achetés le 3 germinal an 9 à la vente des livres de l'abbé Barthélémy, auteur du Voyage du jeune Anacharsis. [These 2 volumes were purchased on 3 Germinal year 9 at the sale of books of Abbé Barthélémy, author of the Voyage of young Anacharsis.]
Translation of great elegance by Lebrun, future consul and Duke of Plaisance, who had composed this translation during his fifteen years of retreat on his estate at Grillon near Dourdan, after having served Maupeou who was overthrown in 1774.

New edition illustrated with 19 figures outside the text drawn by Gravelot and engraved by Le Roy.
Full olive green calf bindings, smooth spines slightly rubbed, decorated with typographical motifs, double gilt fillets and roulettes, fine hatching on the headcaps, joints slightly cracked at head and foot otherwise slightly rubbed, gilt roulettes framing the boards and pastedowns, blue speckled marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt roulettes on the leading edges, all edges gilt. Contemporary bindings.
Handsome copy in contemporary binding.

First printing edition, with Le Brun's translation, accompanied by the life of Tasso by Suard. The illustration comprises the portrait of Tasso engraved by Delvaux after Chasselat, and 20 figures by Le Barbier engraved by Bovinet, Dambrun, Delignon, Langlois, Trière, etc, protected by tissue guards.
Contemporary bindings in full marbled calf. Smooth spines decorated with gilt fleurons and dentelles. Boards framed with gilt roulette. Gilt roulette framing the pastedowns. Gilt roulette on the leading edges. All edges gilt. Head joint of the first volume cracked, headcap slightly damaged. Some rubbing. Scattered foxing. A reasonably good copy.
Handsome edition illustrated by Le Barbier, in neo-classical style. This edition was reprinted in 1813.

Folio edition printed in a small number of copies on large vélin paper. Translated by Le Brun and with a preface from the 1774 edition. The illustrations are from the Italian edition published by Didot in 1784. With a frontispiece and 40 illustrations by Cochin engraved by Saint-Aubin, Tilliard, Delignon, Dambrun, etc. The Life of Tasso is by Suard.
Half red long-grained Empire morocco over red morocco-effect paper, gilt fillets to spine, headpieces slightly rubbed, corners bumped, a little spotting, but otherwise a very good copy with magnificent plates.
This is what Cohen has to say about the illustrations of the Italian edition: “A book published in grand style thanks to the support of the Count of Provence who paid Cochin 40,000 livres for the drawings".