LONGUS. - Lot 15

LONGUS. Les Amours pastorales de Daphnis et de Chloé, translated from the Greek by Amyot. Paris, Pierre Didot l'aîné, an VIII [1800]. In-4, edition illustrated with 9 hors-texte engravings, three by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon and six by François Gérard, engraved by Godefroy, Marais, Massard and Roger. Copy containing the engravings in a double state, a captioned state protected by a mute serpente and a state before the caption. A precious copy in a magnificent full red morocco binding, the boards framed with a frieze of foliate foliage between a double fillet and a wide full fillet, flowers in the spandrels, the spine with 5 double-nerves, each framing a band of black morocco adorned with a frieze of gilded interlacing, the caissons decorated with musical irons, twists on the necks and chasses, all edges gilded, signed Rel. P. BOZERIAN. Engraved bookplate with AS monogram. One of the finest neoclassical illustrated books, printed by Pierre Didot with type engraved and cast by his brother Firmin. (slight rubbing to spines, headpieces and corners, small stains on boards, first two plates of the state before the legend cut shorter and browned, some foxing).