Beschreibung:

HUMBOLDT, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander, Baron von and Aimè Jacques Alexandre BONPLAND. Vues des Cordillères, et Monumens des Peuples Indigènes de l'Amérique. Paris: Schoell, 1810. 2 o. 3 half-titles, 2 titles, engraved dedication and 69 engraved plates (on 68 sheets, nos. 8 and 9 on one sheet) including 25 hand-colored and one hand-colored double-page view of Chimborazo, mostly engraved by Bouquet in Paris or by Arnold in Berlin after sketches by Humboldt and drawings by Aguera, Koch, Marchais and others (some scattered light foxing and offsetting). Contemporary red straight-grained morocco gilt, with wide floral border of two roll tools, spine in seven compartments elaborately gilt, gilt-lettered in one, g.e. (upper cover detached, some rubbing to edges, joints and raised bands). Provenance : Edward Alexander Parsons (bookplate). FIRST EDITION, of the "most beautiful and generally interesting of Humboldt's works" (Sabin). The superb colored aquatints include the double-page plate of the great volcano of Chimborazo in the Andean highlands. Most of the illustrations were made after Humboldt's original sketches, who was closely involved in the publication, especially in checking the coloring of the illustrations. This Atlas Pittoresque is one of the most important publications resulting from Humboldt's and Bonpland's journey through Central and South America (1799-1804). This exploration of the American continent opened up the South American continent to the scientific explorers of the 19th century. Brunet III:373; Lipperheide Md6; Sabin 33754.