PRISSE D'AVENNES, Achille Constant T. Emile. - Lot 215

PRISSE D'AVENNES, Achille Constant T. Emile. L'Art Arabe d'après les monuments du Kaire depuis le VIIe siècle jusqu'à la fin du XVIIIe. [Paris, Ve A. Morel et Cie, 1869-1877]. 3 folio volumes in 1, 3 titles; the 3 tables; 180/ 200 plates (not followed in leaves, in brown half cloth laced folder (folder worn, slight differences in leaf sizes; light foxing with some plates uniformly browned, small marginal defects, pl. 172 very damaged). First edition of this exhaustive description of the applied arts in Cairo, focusing on Egyptian monuments, one of the most important works on Islamic art and architecture. Atlas only, containing 180 plates including numerous chromolithographs and colored lithographs. The first volume contains interior and exterior views of Cairo's public, private and religious buildings, as well as numerous details of mosaic pavements and coverings; the second volume contains mainly elements of woodwork (minbars, doors, etc.) and mural faience decoration; the last volume groups together objets d'art (glassware, fabrics, weapons, manuscripts and Korans). Émile Prisse d'Avennes (1807-1879), French orientalist and artist, was one of the great pioneers of the study of Islamic art and architecture in the XIXᵉ century. A tireless traveler, he crisscrossed Egypt and the Middle East for almost 40 years, bringing back an exceptional documentation of drawings, surveys and photographs. Published between 1869 and 1877, L'Art arabe... remains one of the most important reference works on Islamic art, remarkable for its precision and rich iconography. Volume I comprises plates 1 to 67, with 11 missing (nos. 7, 18-19, 21, 28-29, 31, 35-36, 38-39). Volume II contains plates 68 to 133, with 4 missing (nos. 86, 90-91, 100). Volume III contains plates 134 to 200, with 5 missing (nos. 139, 140, 142, 170, 188). [Egypt]