SAINT-NON, Abbé; de. Voyage pittoresque ou description des Royaumes de Naples et de Sicilie.
Paris, [Clousier], 1781-1786
Rare first edition, beautifully illustrated. This copy features the famous plate from the "Phallus" in the second volume, often missing due to censorship. A magnificent illustrated work, printed on laid paper, with plates, some of which are folded, engraved by leading French artists and based on original drawings by Fragonard, Hubert Robert, and other eminent painters. The plates depict views, monuments, ruins, art objects, medals, and maps. This is a very important work, providing valuable iconographic evidence, with drawings of the archaeological excavations at Herculaneum and the city of Messina before the 1783 earthquake. It is one of the most spectacular works dedicated to Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples, and is particularly important for illustrating the ancient sites and their discoveries. Paris was one of the first artists allowed to draw directly at Herculaneum, where drawing and taking notes were prohibited during the early excavations. Furthermore, Denon's plates are unparalleled sources of reference for the appearance of Messina before the 1783 earthquake. The descriptive text is now attributed to painter, sculptor, and man of letters D. Vivant-Denon. The Abbé de Saint-Non, the creator and coordinator of the undertaking, ruined himself completing it.
Volume V contains, at the end of the text, several appendices with descriptions of the plates, which are not found in all copies.
Cohen-De Ricci 928-930; Ray, French, 34; Millard, French, 148; Blackmer 1473, 62-63.
Five volumes in Folio; 505x315 mm. Contemporary full tawny leather binding, gilt frame on covers, gilt decorations and gilt titles on labels on spines. Inner rules, blue endpapers. Heraldic Ex Libris glued on the insidecovers with motto: “Le jour viendra”.
So composed:
Vol. 1: pp. 6, XIII, 3, 252; 51 engraved plates o.t.
Vol. 2: [12]: 4, XXVIII, 283, [1]; 83 engraved plates o.t.
Vol. 3: [12], 201, 1 blank; 60 engraved plates o.t.
Vol. 4: [6], XVIII, 212; 59 engraved plates o.t.
Vol. 5: (4.2): [6], [213], 214-430, [10], 5, 1 blank, 5, 1 blank, 7-[1], 8, 7-[1], 7[1], [2]-12, 8, 8, 8, 8; 47 engraved plates o.t.
The second part of the first volume is found in the second volume. Large vignettes on the title pages, headpieces, endpieces, and friezes, all copper-engraved.
With 25 large endpieces depicting mythological scenes colored in two tones of red and black in the manner of ancient Greek vases.
Signs of wear on bindings and small losses to the spine ends. Some pages have some stains and dampstains inside; copy with wide margins.