Beschreibung:

HOLBEIN, Hans (1497-1543). Imitations of the Original drawings by... Holbein, for the portraits of the illustrious persons of the court of Henry VIII. With biographical tracts [by Edmund Lodge]. Published by John Chamberlaine. London: W.Bulmer & Co. for John Chamberliane. 1792-[1801]. 2° (544 x 410mm). 84 stipple-engraved plates on 83 leaves (82 printed in colours, 2 on a single sheet printed in colours and finished by hand) by F.Bartolozzi and others after Holbein, 13 on white paper, 71 on pink or tinted paper (of these 54 on thick deckle edges paper, smaller than the text, mounted [42] or loosely inserted [12]). (Portraits of Holbein, his wife and Jane Seymour all close shaved at the lower margins, in the first and last cases with loss of the imprint, some browning or spotting to about 12 plates, the majority on white paper, 'List of Plates and Announcement' leaf loosely inserted and on smaller paper.) Contemporary red half morocco gilt (rubbed, head and foot of spine chipped). A FINE LARGE COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. 'This magnificent work is surely the finest example of English color printing.' (Ray). The originals enjoyed varying fortunes until they were rediscovered by Queen Caroline in a bureau of her closet at Kensington Palace, and finally copied and published under the auspices of Chamberlaine. Hardie writes of the copies that 'there are few, if any, results more successfully and adequately achieved than these stippled illustrations'. Abbey Life 205; Ray 19; Hardie p.62-3.