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De artificiali perspectiva

Author: Jean Pélerin (French, died in 1524)
Illustrated by: Jean Pélerin (French, died in 1524)
Cut by: Gabriel Salmon (French, active 1504–1542)
Cut by: Jacquemin Woeiriot (French, 16th century)
Printer: Pierre Jacob (French, 16th century)
1505
Place of Publication: Toul, France

Medium/Technique Illustrated book with numerous woodcuts and diagrams
Dimensions Overall: 31.2 x 21.7 x 1.8 cm (12 5/16 x 8 9/16 x 11/16 in.)
Credit Line Fund in memory of Horatio Greenough Curtis
Accession Number35.54
NOT ON VIEW
ClassificationsIllustrated books
Toul: Pierre Jacobi, 1505

Catalogue Raisonné Brunet V, 1169; Murray, French, 566; Mortimer, French, 420
Description(Toul: Pierre Jacobi, 1505) Folio; 46 leaves; modern gilt-stamped dark green morocco (Hagué).

First edition of the first illustrated printed book on perspective. This was also the first book printed at Toul. This copy includes the four-page French translation of the text bound after fol. E10; however, the last page -- printed on the recto only -- is a mounted fragment of 20 lines of type, losing the last line(s?) of text. There is an autograph inscription mounted on the front flyleaf by Jacques-Charles Brunet, discussing his observations on the bibliography of this title.
ProvenanceUnknown owner, inventory no. 8293 [see note 1]. Léon de Laborde (b. 1807 – d. 1869), Paris [see note 2]. Ambroise Firmin-Didot (b. 1790 – d. 1876), Paris; May 29, 1879, posthumous Firmin-Didot sale, Labitte et Delestre, Paris, lot 284, to Bernard Quaritch (dealer), London, who owned it until at least 1897 [see note 3]. Comtesse de la Baume Pluvinel; April 24, 1934, Baume Pluvinel sale, Hotel Drouot, Paris, lot 119. 1935, sold by E. P. Goldschmidt and Co., London, to the MFA for £400. (Accession Date: February 7, 1935)

NOTES: [1] There is a possible ownership inscription on the title page, effaced save for inventory number "8293". [2] According to a note in the hand of Jacques-Charles Brunet, mounted on the preliminary leaf. [3] Offered in Quaritch’s General Catalogue (London, 1887), nos. 4377 and 37543, for £200; and Monuments of Typography (London, 1897), no. 471, for £105.