DRYDEN John. The Fables, ornamented with engravings... Lot 25

DRYDEN John. The Fables, ornamented with engravings from the pencil of the Right Hon. Lady Diana Beauclerc. London, T. Bensley for J. Edwards, 1797; in-folio of [2] ff. xviij p., 241 p., [9] plates, bound in contemporary havana Russian leather with gilt fillets and small lace on the back cover. gilt fillets and small lace on boards, smooth spine decorated with stylized Maltese crosses on dotted background, inner lace and gilt edges (Bound by C. Hering n. 10 St Martin Street London). LARGE AND BEAUTIFUL BOOK ILLUSTRATED WITH RARE TALENT BY A PERSON OF LONDON'S SOCIETY, LADY DIANA BEAUCLERC, daughter of the Duke of Marlborough (1734-1808). Her 24 compositions are divided into 9 large headpieces, 6 culs-de-lampe and 9 hors-texte. The delicate drawings, which rival neo-classical and pre-romantic inspirations, are remarkably engraved by Francesco Bartolozzi, an Italian artist who practiced mezzotint, a process close to the "manière noire" (black manner), which gives a very close rendering of the mezzotint, a process close to the black manner, which reproduces as closely as possible the tonalities of the artist's models. As it inevitably happens, several engravings are slightly transferred opposite each other. A COPY ON STRONG, IMMACULATE VELLUM PAPER, IN A FRESH DECORATED BINDING BY CHARLES HERING. This book is rare, especially in nice condition as here.