The Contemporary Gallery 8 volumes

A masterpiece of 19th-century photography.

Original edition

Hardcover. Contemporary half morocco with corners, spine with five raised bands, gilt decoration. Bindings signed by Magnier. Gilt top edges. Eight folio volumes (350 x 275 mm), text paper with foxing. Binding boards rubbed.

Around 1884, Paul de Lacroix proposed this publication which brought together 200 biographical notices (for 132 historical figures, some artists being the subject of several notices).

Those concerning writers, musicians, etc. are illustrated with photographic portraits on plates outside the text.

The entries concerning painters and sculptors are illustrated with a photographic portrait within the text and a reproduction of one of their works on a separate plate (or several plates if there are multiple entries for the same artist).

The series is complete with the expected 200 entries for 132 biographies and is illustrated with 267 photographs:

- 131 portraits (65 in large format mounted on tabs and 66 in medallions pasted into the text)

- 136 reproductions of works (135 in large format mounted on tabs and 1 in medallion pasted into the text).