[LEVACHER DE CHARNOIS (Jean-Charles). - Lot 26

[LEVACHER DE CHARNOIS (Jean-Charles). Recherches sur les costumes et sur les théâtres de toutes les nations, tant anciennes que modernes ; Ouvrage utile aux Peintres, Statuaires, Architectes, Décorateurs, Comédiens, Costumiers, en un mot aux Artistes de tous les genres ; non moins utile pour l'étude de l'Histoire des temps reculés, des Mœurs des Peuples antiques, de leurs Usages, de leurs Loix, et nécessaire à l'Éducation des Adolescens. Paris : M. Drouhin, 1790. - 2 volumes in one in-4, 241 x 184: frontispiece, (1 f.), 8, 150 pp. (1 f.), 29 plates, 1 map; (1 f.), 175 pp. (1 p.), pp. 176-183, 24 plates. Red morocco, gilt Duseuil-style framing on covers, ribbed spine decorated with gilt fleurons, gilt inner lace, gilt edges (Dubois relieur). Colas, 717. - Cohen, col. 227. - Brunet, IV, col. 1135. - Vinet, II, no. 2108. First edition of this remarkable work, which remained unfinished, offering an in-depth study of ancient costume in the theater, the author relying primarily on characters from Jean Racine's tragedies. Journalist, literary critic and playwright Jean-Charles Levacher de Charnois (1749-1792) was well acquainted with the world of theater. He contributed to the Journal des théâtres and published an ambitious work entitled Costumes et Annales des grands théâtres, begun in 1786 but abandoned in 1789. These Recherches complement it. The illustrations include a frontispiece and 53 plates, mostly in color and wash, engraved by Pierre-Michel Alix, Ridé and Sergent after drawings by Philippe Cléry. Among these plates is a map of Epirus, here in color. This copy includes a portrait of the author and a second state of 40 of the 53 plates in color, most of them before the letter, some with the engraver's name in point instead of the caption. The portrait, absent from the original edition, comes from the second edition of 1802. A very fine copy in Dubois morocco, in imitation of the old bindings. Minor rubbing at the head of the spines, a few scattered freckles. Captions have been scratched on some plates. Provenance: Frédéric-Arthur Crisp, with bookplate.