Albert, F. [A. Calavas (ed.)]
Les papillons et les insectes.
Paris, A. Calavas, [1880]. Large folio (44.8 x 35.3 cm). Pictorial chromolithographed title page; 15 chromolithographed plates. Original quarter cloth portfolio with pictorial front board.
Extremely rare and very attractively illustrated romantic work, each plate featuring flowering wild plants, butterflies and other flying insects, mainly colourful beetles, but also dragonflies, etc. The plates were made by the French artist Félix Albert and printed by Becquet Frères in Paris. The artistic quality is very high with the flowers and insects drawn quite accurately; the compositions, however, vary between a typical "romantic" early Art Nouveau style, and a very realistic style. Impressions strong and vivid, outer margins slightly age toned - several a bit chipped at the edges. The boards and spine ends rubbed and a bit stained; a few plates with a diagonal fold in the margin, but otherwise it is a good copy. We found only one fairly recent auction record, of a poor copy. This wonderful publication is not recorded by any of the major biographers such as Brunet, Cat. BM(NH), Hagen, Horn-Schenkling, and Nissen ZBI.