Petit, Victor — Croquis Pittoresques

Paris: Goupil, c. 1860, An album of 12 beautiful tinted lithographs by Victor Petit. This project was a departure for Petit, famous for his lithographs of Pyrenean scenery (albums originally sold to tourists) and architectural renderings. Here he searches for a more general notion of "the picturesque", not providing the locations of the scenes depicted, or even titles. Rustic houses, villages, and bridges predominate. Oblong folio. In the ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S CLOTH BINDING, GILT ON COVERS. Tiny traces of wear to extremities, but EXCEPTIONALLY WELL-PRESERVED, WITH THE GILT DESIGNS VERY BRIGHT. Internally, a little faint foxing, else FINE AND BRIGHT. Very rare: not in WorldCat or the Bibliotheque Nationale.