Livre du sacre de S. M. l'empereur Napoléon dans l'église mé - Lot 320

Lot n° 320
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8000 - 12000 EUR
Livre du sacre de S. M. l'empereur Napoléon dans l'église mé - Lot 320
Livre du sacre de S. M. l'empereur Napoléon dans l'église métropolitaine de Paris, Le XI frimaire AN XIII, Dimanche 2 décembre 1804, Paris, Imprimerie impériale (1805-1815); 2 vols. very large in-folio, 39 pl and 2 titles, 19th century binding, damaged. Sketches in margins, attributed to Charles Percier (1764-1838), graphite. Provenance: - Probably one of the book's printers - Charles-André Colonna Walewski Count and Countess Collection Bibliography: - Graesse, trésor de livres rares et précieux, Tome VI part 1, p.209, Rudolf Kunze, Dresden, 1859. - Jean-Pierre Samoyau, Château de Fontainebleau Musée Napoléon Ier, Napoléon et la famille impériale 1804-1815, p.128-130, Rmn Paris, 1986. - Monglond, La France révolutionnaire et impériale, annales de bibliographie méthodique et description des livres illustrés, tome VI, p. 553-555. An exceptional and monumental copy of the work intended by the Emperor to illustrate his coronation. This large-scale project, probably one of the most important artistic projects of the Empire, involved no less than four draftsmen and seventeen engravers. The aim was to showcase the quality of French engravers and match the splendor of the books published for the coronations of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. The project was entrusted to Jean-Baptiste Isabey, who designed the figures, Charles Percier for the decorations, and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine for the architecture. We also know from artists' proofs that some plates were also drawn by Isabey's pupil Auguste Garneray. The twenty-one artists highlight all stages of the coronation ceremony and costumes through thirty-nine metal-engraved figures and scenes and two engraved titles. As Graesse pointed out in 1859, the work was so extensive that it was not finished when the Empire fell. The Château de Fontainebleau preserves the copy intended for the Emperor and passed on by his nephew Napoleon III. In addition to the engraved plates, this extraordinary work contains original drawings intended as models for the engravings. On these drawings, and in particular on that of the great officer of the Crown, the Comte de Ségur, we note that Garneray's signature is accompanied by the date 1811, indicating that the work was still at that date on costume designs. Our copy, which comes with Percier et Fontaine's description of the ceremonies, is probably the printer's copy. Indeed, it is accompanied by seven artist's proofs, engraved before the letter and sometimes before the figure, and intended to serve as information for the final engraving. For example, for the plate of the huissier de chambre engraved by Massard père, Pauquet is the author of the artist's proof. Some proofs are also signed by Garneray for the decorations, which disappears on the final engravings in favor of Percier's signature. Two of these proofs are also annotated in graphite: one is a reworking of the decor, probably reflecting a modification to be made; the other has plan studies on the reverse, probably by Charles Percier. It should also be noted that on the proof for the arrival at Notre-Dame, Isabey's autograph reads "bon pour toucher le second paiement paru ce 4 mars 1812, Isabey". The fact that our copy benefited from these additions, characteristic of a work in progress intended to receive artists' modifications, supports our hypothesis that it is indeed the printer's work, and therefore probably one of the first to have been published. Temporary import The buyer will be required to pay import duties of 5.5% in addition to the hammer price, unless the item is immediately re-exported outside the European Union. Work in temporary import The buyer will have to pay import fees of 5.5% in addition to the hammer price, unless the buyer immediately re-exports the lot outside the European Union.
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