VIEN (Joseph). Caravane du Sultan à la Mecque, mascarade tur - Lot 40

VIEN (Joseph). Caravane du Sultan à la Mecque, mascarade turque donnée à Rome par Messieurs les Pensionnaires de l'Académie de France et leurs amis au Carnaval de l'année 1748. S.l.n.d. (1748). In-folio, brown calf, ornate spine with old red title-piece, on the first plate inscription Le Duc de Nivernois in gold letters, tr. jasp. r. (Rel. anc.). VERY GOOD 1st state copy, before the addresses of Fessard or Hasan, in its contemporary binding. This curious collection includes an engraved title and 31 beautiful and witty plates of oriental costumes, here in superb proofs, original engravings by J.-M. Vien, a pupil of Natoire, the King's first painter (Baudricour, I, 8-39, already mentions this series as very rare in 1st state). Small marginal tear on plate 5. The Duc de Nivernois (1716-1798), ambassador to Rome and friend of the Marquise de Pompadour, who called him "Petit époux", was the protector of the Marquis de Marigny during his stay in Rome, and wrote to the famous favorite, referring to his brother: "As he has a pretty face and no pretensions, he will do very well here, where we'll be delighted to see a young Frenchman who is not at an advantage. There's one more good thing for him, and that's that people here are very fond of frankness, just as we are of Indian fabrics that are not made in our factories".