Lacauchie

1844 · Flo140 — Collection of 277 hand-coloured lithographic portraits of French actors and actresses from the first 4 volumes of this rare series.<br /><br />No title page or prelims mostly disbound plates loosely inserted within original bindings for Vol. 1 and 2 plate numbers from 1 to 392.<br /><br />Portraits of actors actresses dancers and opera singers by Alexandre Lacauchie and Victor Dollet lithographed by Jules Rigo Decan Lebref.<br /><br />Considered to be the most important French artists gallery of the 19th century.<br /><br />Condition: Red leather bindings with fine gilt decoration on spines and boards water damaged but holding acting as portfolio for the loose plates. Plates with some damp-staining to lower edge mostly outside the image toning and spotting. Most plates disbound but all with vibrant fine hand coloring and gum arabic high lighting. Sold as a collection of plates.<br /><br />Alexandre Lacauchie 1814-1886 was a French painter engraver and lithographer. Jean Francois Victor Dollet 1815- was a French painter lithographer and printmaker. Maison Martinet hardcover