Fables choisies, mises en vers.

£6,750 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books · No longer available

presentation copy - inscribed by the playwright David Garrick Presentation copy of one of the finest illustrated books of the 18th century, inscribed by the celebrated 18th-century playwright David Garrick on the half-title of volume I: 'These Fables / of one of the greatest geniuses France has produc'd / were given / to his ingenious, amiable young friend / Mr. Thos. Rackett / by David Garrick.' The recipient, Thomas Rackett (1757–1840), was an English clergyman, known as an antiquary. At the age of 14 he recited to David Garrick the latter's ode for the Shakespearean jubilee and Garrick presented him with a gilt copy of it. The following year (1771), Garrick gave him a folio copy of Shakespeare with a laudatory inscription. Rare first issue before 'le léopard' appears on the banner of the plate 'Le singe et le léopard' in volume III. The so-called Fontaine d'Oudry was based originally on a series of ink drawings by the rococo painter Jean-Baptiste d'Oudry, made between 1729 and 1734 which were designed as a sample book for paintings and tapestries. Acquired by the amateur Louis Regnard de Montenault, the drawings were redrawn by Nicolas Cochin and entrusted to over forty engravers selected by Cochin and printed under Montenault's supervision on his personal press. Montenault felt that no one could compare to d'Oudry in terms of his special understanding of La Fontaine's poetry. One could feel the sentiment of his words in every illustration, almost giving the animals depict

• Binding: Hardcover

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