Antoine Le Pautre (1621-1679) - Lot 32

Antoine Le Pautre (1621-1679) Œuvres d'architectures d'Antoine Le Pautre, architecte ordinaire du roi (Containing plans, views and sections of various castles and palaces; the hôtel du marquis de Fontenay Mareuille; the church of Port-Royal; ceilings; fountains and ornaments). 1652. An oblong album [505 x 375] containing 59 plates, including a dedication with Mazarin's coat of arms and two text leaves (lacking the engraved title). Etching. Préaud 3-55. Very fine proofs on thin laid paper, from the 1st edition, the lettering lines still clearly visible. Freckling and halo of moisture mainly at leaf edges. Long oblique tear penetrating into the subject on pl. 53. Very faded hardback. "The whole suite is problematic. Mariette attributes most of the engravings to Jean Lepautre and a few to Jean Marot. It is difficult to determine whether Antoine simply supplied the drawings or whether he himself sometimes, and when, put his hand to the engraving [...]. [In any case, Antoine's name alone appears on the plates". (M. Préaud, Inventaire du fonds français, tome 11, Antoine Lepautre, Jacques et Jean Lepautre, p. 15). The plates for Port-Royal are not included in the series until the 2nd edition.