CALLOT (Jacques). The Misery and Misfortunes of War, Depicte - Lot 54

CALLOT (Jacques). The Misery and Misfortunes of War, Depicted by Jacques Callot, a Nobleman of Lorraine, and Illustrated by his friend Israël. Paris, [Israël Henriet], 1633. In-4, 17th-century red morocco binding, spine ribbed and finely decorated with dotted gold, Du Seuil-style framing on the covers with a coat of arms in the center and pieces of armor in the corners. First edition of this famous series consisting of a frontispiece and seventeen etchings, one of Jacques Callot’s masterpieces. All the plates are, as they should be, in the second state (of three), with the six-line verses attributed to the Abbé de Marolles serving as captions and the excudit of Israël Henriet—the artist’s childhood friend and publisher—at the bottom of each one, except for the frontispiece. The work depicts the Thirty Years’ War, which had been ravaging Europe for fifteen years. With a perfect sense of composition and detail and absolute virtuosity, the various aspects of a soldier’s life are depicted in all their realism and harshness—not only the war, its violence, and its atrocities, but also the punishments or rewards promised to the participants, as the case may be. “This entire series is a masterpiece of engraving. It reveals a mastery that no artist in any era has ever been able to elevate to a higher degree” (Lieure, *Catalogue of the Engraved Works of Jacques Callot*). An exceptional copy with the plates, mounted on tabs, preserved with very wide margins (260 to 270 x 190 mm) and not trimmed to the frame as is most commonly found, bound in a lovely and very fresh period morocco binding bearing the coat of arms of François de Harville des Ursins (1630–1701), Marquis de Palaiseau, field marshal, cavalry captain, and governor of Charleville. Extremely rare in this condition. A small crease on the frontispiece; minor, insignificant marginal stains or foxing on a few plates. Acquired by Émile Rossignol in 1966. Longepierre copy in lined binding

Stima:€12,000

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