RIDINGER (Johann Elias). Lehrreiche Fabeln. - Lot 263

RIDINGER (Johann Elias). Lehrreiche Fabeln. Augsburg, Johann Elias Ridinger, 1744. In-folio (440x300mm), half red morocco with corners, 6-ribbed spine, gilt small-iron decorated boxes, vat endpapers (19th century binding). 2ff. - 14ff. text - 47 plates - 2ff. Binding faded, jaws split at head and foot, epidermis, head cap missing, freckles, spotting. Collection of 16 instructive fables from the animal kingdom, anonymous, printed in trilingual Latin/French/German; the German version in Gothic script, the French in italics and the Latin in regular script. Each is accompanied by a captioned copperplate engraving, bound at the end of the collection. This copy has been completed with 31 additional plates featuring deer, hinds, a pelican, a hare, etc., obviously from different series, the typography varying (some are captioned, others not, some differently). These added engravings are all cut and glued on large laid paper. Johann Elias Ridinger (1698-1767) was one of the great animal artists of the 18th century, considered the German Oudry. He is credited with numerous hunting and riding scenes, illustrations for fables and compositions for ceramics. Prestigious provenance; James de Rotschild (1792-1868) was a German banker, founder of the Paris branch of the Rothschild family and an important bibliophile. He inspired three great French writers: François Leuwen, the father of Stendhal's hero in Lucien Leuwen; Baron de Nucingen, in Balzac's Comédie humaine; and banker Gundermann, in Zola's L'Argent. It is said that under the July monarchy, he was, along with the King, the richest man in France. Provenance : - Baron James de Rotschild (bookplate)