VIREY, Julien-Joseph. Histoire Naturelle du Genre Humain, No - Lot 533

VIREY, Julien-Joseph. Histoire Naturelle du Genre Humain, Nouvelle Edition, Augmentée et Entièrement Refondue, avec Figures. Published in Paris by Crochard, libraire-éditeur, in 1824. Three volumes in octavo / In-8 format. Mahogany shagreen. Smooth spine with gilt braces and fleurons. Titlepieces on black basane. XL+514, III+431 and III+534+(2 f.) pages, 10 copper-engraved plates in color. Spines of volumes 1 and 3 rebacked, spinebands of volumes 1 and 3 split. In this new edition of his work, originally published in 1800, the author sets out his anthropological theories on the different human races and their proximity to the great apes. Drawing on emerging phrenological theories, he devotes a significant part of the work to the black race. He illustrated his research with models of anthropological facies, including an engraving in Plate 6 directly inspired by the Venus Hottentote painted by Jean-Baptiste Hüet fils in 1815. The model is taken from a slave from South Africa who arrived in Paris. Fairly good overall condition.