BRISEUX'S FINE WORK ON ARCHITECTURE, Paris 1752, 2 volumes.

BRISEUX (CHARLES-ETIENNE). Traité du beau essentiel dans les arts: appliqué particulierement à l'architecture, et démontré phisiquement et par l'expérience. I-II. Paris, l'Auteur & Chereau, 1752.

Folio (330x260 mm.). 108; 195, (2) pp. Engraved throughout, portrait frontispiece, 2 titles within decorative borders, 138 plates (14 double-page, 4 folding) including pictorial divisional titles, blank f. following p.44, privilege f. at end of vol.2.
Contemporary half calf binding, richly gilt spines, slightly rubbed. Some light staining, occasionally slight offsetting to plates. In vol. 1 pl. 27 somewhat stained throughout and pl. 37 browned; light marginal waterstaining at top to plates 93-94 (pl. 93 also affecting the image). Title leaf with repaired lower corner. Final text leaf with small restored marginal tear.

First edition. "A fine example of an entirely engraved book" (Fowler). Ornamentstichkat. Berlin 2403; Cohen-Ricci 189. With a particular focus on architecture, Briseux's work includes plans, sections, elevations of French and Italian monuments, and details of interior decoration in the Louis XV style.

See text.