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La somptueuse et magnifique entrée du très-chrestien Roy Henry III. En la Cité de Mantoüe. Paris, Nicolas Chesneau, 1576.
Details
VIGENERE, Blaise de (1523-1596)
La somptueuse et magnifique entrée du très-chrestien Roy Henry III. En la Cité de Mantoüe. Paris, Nicolas Chesneau, 1576.
First edition of the triumphal entry of Henri III of France into Mantua, and the first fete book illustrated with engravings, with a distinguished, bibliophile provenance. Its 8 full-page engravings depict triumphal arches and statues. The author Vigenère, was a secretary to the King. While he was not present at Mantua, he composed the book from eye-witness accounts describing the festivities and elaborate scenes. This copy passed through some of the greatest bibliophile collections of the 19th and 20th centuries, documented from the marquis de Béarn, Portalis, Rahir, Feltrinelli and others. Mortimer, Harvard French 207; Brunet II, 1002; Vinet I, 475.
Quarto (242 x 165mm). 8 full-page engravings, woodcut printer’s device on title (Renouard 171), woodcut arms of the Duke of Mantua on title verso, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, ruled in red. Blue morocco by Masson-Debonelle, tooled with the arms of Henri III [cf. Olivier 2491 fer no. 3], gilt edges (very slight wear at hinge). Provenance: René de Galard-Brassac, marquis de Béarn (bookplate) – Constantine Radoulescu (1792-1872) – E.F.D. Ruggieri (bookplate; 1873 sale catalogue, lot 293bis) – Baron Roger Portalis (1841-1912) – Edouard Rahir (sale Paris 1931, lot 510) – Giannalisa Feltrinelli (booklabel and small blindstamp; Feltrinelli pt VII, Christie’s, Paris, 11 Dec. 2001, lot 2129).
La somptueuse et magnifique entrée du très-chrestien Roy Henry III. En la Cité de Mantoüe. Paris, Nicolas Chesneau, 1576.
First edition of the triumphal entry of Henri III of France into Mantua, and the first fete book illustrated with engravings, with a distinguished, bibliophile provenance. Its 8 full-page engravings depict triumphal arches and statues. The author Vigenère, was a secretary to the King. While he was not present at Mantua, he composed the book from eye-witness accounts describing the festivities and elaborate scenes. This copy passed through some of the greatest bibliophile collections of the 19th and 20th centuries, documented from the marquis de Béarn, Portalis, Rahir, Feltrinelli and others. Mortimer, Harvard French 207; Brunet II, 1002; Vinet I, 475.
Quarto (242 x 165mm). 8 full-page engravings, woodcut printer’s device on title (Renouard 171), woodcut arms of the Duke of Mantua on title verso, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, ruled in red. Blue morocco by Masson-Debonelle, tooled with the arms of Henri III [cf. Olivier 2491 fer no. 3], gilt edges (very slight wear at hinge). Provenance: René de Galard-Brassac, marquis de Béarn (bookplate) – Constantine Radoulescu (1792-1872) – E.F.D. Ruggieri (bookplate; 1873 sale catalogue, lot 293bis) – Baron Roger Portalis (1841-1912) – Edouard Rahir (sale Paris 1931, lot 510) – Giannalisa Feltrinelli (booklabel and small blindstamp; Feltrinelli pt VII, Christie’s, Paris, 11 Dec. 2001, lot 2129).
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