PERELLE (Gabriel Nicolas), MAUPERCHE (Henri), POOL (Matthys) - Lot 4

PERELLE (Gabriel Nicolas), MAUPERCHE (Henri), POOL (Matthys), SILVESTRE (Israël). Collection of prints, late 17th century. One volume in-4 in full marbled calf, gilt fillets, ribbed spine with title-pieces, rich gilt decoration of 194 engraved plates. Collection of 194 engravings by Gabriel Nicolas Perelle (1604-1677), French engraver and director of plans and maps in the King's cabinet; Henri Mauperché (1602-1686) French landscape painter and engraver; and Matthys Pool (1670-1732) of the Flemish school. Most of the engravings in this set were made by Devret in Paris. The collection includes a series of views drawn by the Lorraine-based draftsman and engraver Israël Silvestre (1621-1691), advisor to the King in his Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture; engraved by Perelle with royal privilege at Devret in Paris (rue Saint Jacques à l'Annonciation): a view of the church of Saint Michel in Dijon (plate 55); a view of the old Porte de France in Grenoble (plate 56); a view of the Saint Bernard fountain near Dijon (plate 57); a view of the palace in Dijon (plate 58); a view of the bridge in Grenoble (plate 59); a view of the Porte Réale in Marseille (plate 60). The collection also contains the very rare series of 16 plates by Matthys Pool (1670-1732) depicting monkeys engaged in human activities (teaching, playing, ice skating, spinning wool....), title in Dutch (translated in pencil into French). Exceptional, extremely rare set. Binding rubbed, corners dulled, some plates stained.