Jérusalem délivrée poëme du 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.