WITH 200 LOOSE FOLIO HELIOGRAVURES OF ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE AND ARTIFACTS

D'ESPOUY, Hector, editor. Fragments d'Architecture Antique d'Apres Les Releves & Restaurations des Anciens Pensionnaires de l'Academie de France a Rome. Paris: Charles Massin, [1905]. Two volumes. Large folio (13 by 18 inches), half gilt-stamped red cloth, original gilt-stamped red paper boards, original grosgrain ties. $2200.

Early edition of these desirable portfolios focusing on the ancient architecture of Greece and Italy, with 200 loose folio heliogravures of ancient architecture and artifacts. Text in French.

With French text written by architect and ornamentalist Hector d'Espouy and contributed to by historian Georges Daumet, these volumes contain 200 very large heliogravure architectural plates originally drawn by d'Espouy and certain students who were winners of the Grand Prix de Rome. The drawings were executed at the Villa Medici and attempted to systematically capture the architectural details of ancient Greek and Roman antiquities. This remains among the most important works on ancient architecture. The first edition was published in Paris by Charles Schmid in 1897 (Volume I) and 1905 (Volume II); this is an early edition with both volumes published in 1905.

Scattered foxing and soiling to plates and text, shallow marginal chip to Acropole d'Athenes plate, some wear, soiling, and toning to portfolios, front tie of Volume I missing. Very good condition.