GALERIE HISTORIQUE DES HOMMES ...
Galerie historique des hommes les plus célèbres de tous les siècles et de toutes les nations. Contenant leurs portraits, gravés au trait, d'après les meilleurs originaux, avec l'abrégé de leurs vies, et des observations sur leurs caractères ou sur leurs ouvrages; par une Société de gens de lettres. Publiée par C.P. Landon, ...
A Paris, chez C.P. Landon,, An XIII, 1805. (1806--11).
13 vols ; 16.6 cm. (8º)

Comprises biographies contributed by various hands who are identified only by their initials. From volume II Landon is identified as 'seul propriétaire de l'ouvrage' and the printer's name appears on the title-page 'De L'Imprimerie Des Annales Du Musée'. Treuttel et Würtz, libraires, joined forces with Landon as distributors of the series, from volume XII. This series was originally issued in parts with unpaginated text and unnumbered plates, the binding arrangement of which was to have been either chronological or alphabetical according to tables that were promised to subscribers on completion of the work (see 'Avertissement' in vol. I). Each volume contains sixty to eighty biographies which are illustrated by portraits signed by Landon in etched outline derived from various sources. Volume XIII is designated 'Tome Supplémentaire' on the title-page and contains a further seventy-two lives; the portraits in this volume are not signed. The present set follows the alphabetical ordering.

Copy Notes Lacking (and possibly issued without?) the chronological and alphabetical lists of contents as prmised in the preface, and which accompanied a reissue of the plates only by Treuttel & Würtz in 1811. Bought from Thomas Boone for £2 19s., 7 May 1818. (Priv. Corr. XVI.E.3.10).

Binding C19th half green straight-grained morocco, gilt-ruled borders, marbled-paper boards, gilt-ruled and gilt-lettered spines, marbled edges and endpapers to match the boards.

Reference Number 676

Additional Names Thomas Boone; Société des gens de lettres (France); Landon, Charles Paul (1760--1826)