CHRYSOSTOME, John, saint. Opera Omnia quæ extant, vel quæ ej - Lot 659

CHRYSOSTOME, John, saint. Opera Omnia quæ extant, vel quæ ejus nomine circumferuntur. Published in Paris by Louis Guérin; Charles Robustel, Jean-Joseph Barbou and Desprez between 1718 and 1738. In 13 folio volumes (420x280 mm). Mahogany calf. Spines adorned with gilded flowered compartments between the ribs, and two title-pieces in red morocco, bearing the title, and green morocco, bearing the tome. Red edges. Contemporary bindings. (24)-887-(1); (6)-859-(1); (12)-858; (12)-811; (26)-820; (8)-618-CCXXXVIII; (12)-868; (16)-548-306; VIII-875; VIII-872; (4)-869-(1); (4)-836; XVIII-332-114-LI pages. 2 engraved frontispieces: the first depicts Saint John Chysostom in the habit of Archbishop of Constantinople, in his library, holding a Greek manuscript in his left hand. The second is a portrait of Cardinal Alessandro Albani. A fine, fresh and solid copy. Head-ends of volumes II and XI and tail-ends of volume VIII cracked, corners slightly dulled. Interiors very fresh, wormholes in the margin on the first 10 pages of the second volume, pages 377 to 380 of the same torn without missing. First edition of the complete works of Saint John Chrysostom (in Latin and Greek), as collected and commented by Dom Bernard de Montfaucon. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of ancient Greek, and in particular of ancient manuscripts, Bernard de Montfaucon was one of the first editors of St. John Chrysostom to produce what could be considered a scientific edition of his works. It is the fruit of almost twenty years' work, collating, transcribing and comparing nearly 300 manuscripts of the saint's works. The result is impressive: thirteen volumes in Greek and Latin, a biography of John Chrysostom, presentations and glosses of his writings in almost every volume, all finely printed and enhanced by headbands (five of which are signed): volume 2, drawn by Jean IV Le Clerc and engraved by Pierre-François Griffart; volumes III and IX, drawn by Nicolas Ier Bonnard and engraved by Antoine Hérisset; volume X, drawn by Poussin [this is the Ravissement de Saint Paul] and engraved by Antoine Hérisset; volume XIII, drawn by Charles-Nicolas Cochin fils and engraved by Charles-Nicolas Cochin père).