LIMITED FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF PIETSCH’S CONTEMPORARY GERMAN ART, 1888, ONE OF ONLY 1000 COPIES, RICHLY ILLUSTRATED WITH DOZENS OF PHOTOGRAVURES OF FAMOUS 19TH-CENTURY GERMAN PAINTINGS, HANDSOMELY BOUND

PIETSCH, Ludwig. Contemporary German Art at the Centenary Festival of the Royal Academy of Arts, Berlin. London: George Bell & Sons, 1888. Two volumes. Folio (10 by 12-1/2 inches), 20th-century full red morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated spines and covers, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut. $2500.

Limited first edition in English, one of only 1000 copies printed, translated by N. D’Anvers from the original German, with dozens of photogravures after the original German paintings, handsomely bound in full armorial morocco-gilt.

The book was produced to commemorate the Centenary Exhibition of the Berlin Royal Academy of Arts in 1886. The dozens of photogravures contained within reproduce an unparalleled collection of German works, meant to represent the best German art from the period. The images include religious scenes, landscapes, genre paintings, and portraiture. Accompanying the illustrations are incisive text and biographical sketches of the artists by renowned art critic Ludwig Pietsch, who was known for his deep familiarity with the various Teutonic schools of painting. Preceded by the German edition, also limited to only 1000 copies.

Light scattered foxing to interiors, text blocks expertly repaired, bindings lovely and fine, gilt bright. A handsome copy in near-fine condition.