Beschreibung:

CALLOT, JACQUES, engraver . HUMBERT, HENRY. Combat à la Barriere, faict en Cour de Lorraine le 14 Febvrier, en l'Annèe present 1627... Dedié à Madame la Duchesse de Chevvreuse. Nancy: Sebastien Philippe 1627. Small 4to, 199 x 151 mm. (7 13/16 x 5 7/8 in.), seventeenth-century speckled calf, spine and board edges gilt, mottled edges, small repair to lower inner margin of pl. 1, short fold breaks to 2 plates (one repaired), not affecting image, marginal repair to fol. C3, occasional slight spotting to text . 34 leaves, engraved frontispiece (second state), dedicatory epistle by Callot, 9 DOUBLE-PAGE SIGNED ETCHINGS BY CALLOT, 7 depicting the processions and floats, 2 showing the Duchess's entrance and the tournament in the great hall of the Palais Ducal in Nancy (plate 3 [Lieure 578] in the first state), small text engraving on G3r of the "bras armé", emblem of the house of Lorraine (Lieure 588), woodcut initials and tailpieces. Lieure 575-588; Berlin Katalog 2994; Brunet III, 371-72. FIRST AND ONLY EDITION of a rare fête book, considered one of the most beautiful of Callot's series of book illustrations. Callot himself was directed the pageant and designed the costumes for the festivities held in honor of Duke Charles IV's cousin the Duchess of Chevreuse, who took refuge at the court of Lorraine after the discovery of her involvement in a conspiracy against Richelieu. "As the pupil of Parigi, Callot brought a Florentine fête to Nancy. It took place in the salle des cerfs of the ducal palace... It is sad to record that Callot was paid only a small amount for his work"-- E. de T. Bechtel, Jacques Callot (New York 1955), p. 26. Provenance : Thomas Brooke, armorial bookplate, shelf mark in pencil on front free endpaper (sale ) -- Édouard Rahir, bookplate (sale, Part 5, 19 May 1937, lot 1275) -- Henri Burton, bookplate.