[HANCARVILLE, Pierre François Hugues d'] - Lot 132

Lot n° 132
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Estimation :
600 - 800 EUR
[HANCARVILLE, Pierre François Hugues d'] - Lot 132
[HANCARVILLE, Pierre François Hugues d'] Monumens de la vie privée des douze Césars, d'après une suite de pierres gravées sous leur règne. A Rome, de l'Imprimerie du Vatican, 1786 (1785 on the frontispiece). In-12 format-4, XII-236 pp. frontispiece, 50 plates. Late 19th-century red morocco, spine ribbed, gilt title, small gilt-lettered compartments, gilt filleting around compartments and boards, gilt roulettes and filleting around spine flaps, gilt edges (corners, edges and spines very slightly rubbed, very slight brown spots and marginal soiling). A fine copy, with very wide margins, of this "very free" erotic work inspired by Roman antiquity. Illustrated with a neo-antiquist engraved title-frontispiece and 50 drypoint etchings, printed in black on azure laid paper. A brilliant Fregolian character, Pierre-François Hugues (1719-1805), the so-called Baron d'Hancarville, was a spy, archaeologist, diplomat, historian, archivist and essayist, all driven by a taste for adventure. In Italy, he worked on cataloguing the antique collection of Sir Hamilton, British ambassador to Naples between 1764 and 1776, from which he drew much inspiration... "These works denote much erudition in d'Hancarville; but all these engraved stones, medals, etc., are imaginary" (Cohen, 475). Pia, L'Enfer, 954-959. CURIOSA. EROTICA.
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