La Vie Des Peintres Flamands, Allemands Et Hollandois, Avec Des Portraits Gravés en Taille-douce, une indication de leurs principaux Ouvrages, & des Réflexions sur leurs différentes manieres. Par M. J.B. Descamps, Peintre, Membre de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, Belle-Lettres & Arts de Rouen, & Professeur de l'Ecole du Dessein de la même Ville. Tome Premier. (- Quatrieme.)
RA Collection: Book
Record number
07/31
Author
Imprint
A Paris,: Chez Charles-Antoine Jombert, Libraire du Roinpour l'Artillerie & le Génie, rue Dauphine à l'Image de Notre-Dame., M DCC LIII. (- M.DCC.LXIII.) Avec Approbation Et Privilege Du Roi.
Physical Description
4 vols.; 204 mm. (Octavo.)
General Note
Vol. I: xvi, 429, [11] p., frontis.: [41] illus. - Vol. II: [4], 480, [8] p., [56] illus. - Vol. III: xvi, 402, [6] p., [44] illus. (Page ix is misnumbered as vii.) - Vol. IV: viii, 302, [24] p.: [32] illus.
Contents
Vol. I: [Frontis., t.p.] - Explication Du Frontispice - [Dedic.] - Avertissement; Errata - [Text and illus. (ports.)] - Table Alphabétique Des Noms Des Peintres Contenus Dans Ce Premier Volume - Table Des Peintres Avec Portrait - Approbation; Privilege Du Roy; [colophon]. - Vol. II: [Half-t., t.p.] - [Text and illus. (ports.)]; Errata - Table Des Peintres Avec Portrait - Table Alphabétique Des Noms Des Peintres Contenus Dans Ce Second Volume; [colophon]. - Vol. III: [Half-t., t.p., dedic.] - Avertissement - Errata - [Text and illus. (ports.)] - Table Alphabétique Des Noms Des Peintres Contenus Dans Ce Troisieme Volume - Table Des Peintres Avec Portrait; [colophon]. - Vol. IV: [Half-t., t.p.] - Avertissement - [Text and illus. (ports.)] - Table Alphabétique Des Noms Des Peintres Contenus Dans Ce Quatrieme Volume - Table Des Peintres Avec Portrait Du Quatrieme Tome - Table Du Tome Premier (- Troisieme).
Responsibility Note
The frontispiece of Volume I is signed as designed and drawn by J.B. Descamps and engraved by J.P. Le Bas.
Most in-text illustrations are signed as drawn by I.B. Descamps or Ch. Eissen and engraved by R. Gaillard, D. Sornique, Fi(c)quet, Teucher, M. Aubert, L. Le Grand, A. Pinssio, Basan, Benoist or Campion. The headpieces of the two dedications, in Vols. I and III, are signed as engraved by N. Le Mire.
The printer is named in the colophon of Vol. I as 'De l'Imprimerie d'Abraham Viret, Imprimeur ordinaire de l'Hôtel de Ville & l'Académie Royale des Sciences, Belles-Lettres & Arts de Rouen, rue Senécaux, près S. Martin sur Renelle, 1752.', and in those of Vols. II-IV as 'A Rouen, de l'Imprimerie de Viret fils'.
The dedications are by J.B. Descamps to (Vol. I) Claude-Alexandre De Villeneuve, Comte De Vence, and (Vol. III) M. De Lalive De Jully.
References
A. Carlier, Charles Eisen de Valenciennes (1966); A. Rostand, J.-B. Descamps (1936).
Summary Note
Publication-dates are given on the four title-pages as 1753 (with the colophon naming the printer with the date 1752), 1754, 1760 and 1763. In the imprints of the third and fourth volumes the name of Charles-Antoine Jombert is replaced by those of 'Desaint & Saillant, rue de S. Jean de Beauvais. Pissot, Quai de Conty. Durand, rue du Foin.' (and in the fourth volume 'Durand, rue du Foin' is replaced by 'Durand le Neveu, rue S. Jacques, au coin de la rue du Plâtre').
Descamps' collection of biographies was well received in its day, but contained several inaccuracies.
The frontispiece of Volume I is an allegory showing a seated female figure representing 'Painting', carrying both a palette and a pen. Apart from the headpieces of the two dedications, decorated initials and printer's vignettes, all in-text illustrations are portraits of artists.
Provenance
The verso of the frontispiece of Volume I and the half-titles of Volumes II-IV are inscribed in ink, 'Bequest of Sr A.W. Callcott.'
Binding Note
20th-century half mottled calf, marbled-papered boards; earlier red and black morocco spine-labeles lettered 'Descamps. Les Peintres Flamands Tom. I. (-IV.)'.
Subject
Painters - Artists - Painting - Netherlands - Belgium - Germany - History
Biography - Art history - France - 18th century
Pictorial works - France - 18th century
Biography - Art history - France - 18th century
Pictorial works - France - 18th century
Contributors
Charles-Antoine Jombert, printer
Jean Desaint, publisher
Charles Saillant, publisher
Noël-Jacques Pissot, publisher
Laurent Durand, publisher
Abraham Viret, printer
Abraham François Viret, printer
Pierre-Étienne-Germain Durand, publisher
Jean Baptiste Descamps, draughtsman
Charles Joseph Dominique Eisen, draughtsman
Jacques Philippe Le Bas, engraver
René Gaillard, engraver
Dominique Sornique, engraver
Etienne Ficquet, engraver
Michel Aubert, engraver
Louis-Claude Legrand, engraver
A. Pinssio, engraver
Pierre François Basan, engraver
Antoine Benoist, engraver
J.A. Campion, engraver
Noel Le Mire, engraver
Ange-Laurent de Lalive de Jully, dedicatee
Claude-Alexandre de Villeneuve comte de Vence, dedicatee
Sir Augustus Wall Callcott RA, previous owner, donor
Desaint Et Saillant (Paris), publisher
Jean Desaint, publisher
Charles Saillant, publisher
Noël-Jacques Pissot, publisher
Laurent Durand, publisher
Abraham Viret, printer
Abraham François Viret, printer
Pierre-Étienne-Germain Durand, publisher
Jean Baptiste Descamps, draughtsman
Charles Joseph Dominique Eisen, draughtsman
Jacques Philippe Le Bas, engraver
René Gaillard, engraver
Dominique Sornique, engraver
Etienne Ficquet, engraver
Michel Aubert, engraver
Louis-Claude Legrand, engraver
A. Pinssio, engraver
Pierre François Basan, engraver
Antoine Benoist, engraver
J.A. Campion, engraver
Noel Le Mire, engraver
Ange-Laurent de Lalive de Jully, dedicatee
Claude-Alexandre de Villeneuve comte de Vence, dedicatee
Sir Augustus Wall Callcott RA, previous owner, donor
Desaint Et Saillant (Paris), publisher