HELMAN (Isidore-Stanislas). Faits mémorables des empereurs d - Lot 96

HELMAN (Isidore-Stanislas). Faits mémorables des empereurs de la Chine tirés des annales Chinoises. A Paris, chez l'auteur, 1788. In-4 (31 x 21.5 cm), [2] f. (title, dedication to Madame), 24 plates, each accompanied by an unencumbered commentary leaf, contemporary green half-basin, 5-ribbed spine, gilt title and fillet (headbands and corners slightly worn, binding rubbed, minor spotting). Pleasant collection illustrating important episodes in Chinese history, dedicated to the Countess of Provence, Louise-Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, whose engraved portrait after Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun appears at the head of the dedication engraved with her coat of arms. Encouraged by the success of the first issues of his famous Suite réduite des conquêtes et batailles de la Chine, published from 1783 to 1788, Isidore-Stanislas Helman (1743-1806 or 1809), engraver to the Duc de Chartres and one of Le Bas's best pupils, took the initiative of producing two new suites in a similar style. These were the Abrégé historique des principaux traits de la vie de Confucius and this suite des Faits mémorables des empereurs de la Chine. Most - if not all - of the plates were engraved after drawings by the Jesuit missionary Jean-Denis Attiret (1702-1768), who lived in China from 1737 until his death, and was close to the emperor. Announced in the Journal de Paris on March 16, 1788, the Faits mémorables were offered for sale on the following April 15, in 4 issues. (Inventaire du Fonds français, graveurs du XVIIIe siècle, T. XI, n° 111-134; Cohen, 479).