Idleness and Industry. An instructive example for young children translated from the German of Victor Adam

Guben [Germany] F.Fechner, [n.d., ca. 1840] First edition. Idleness and Industry tells the story of Felix, a lazy and disobedient boy who falls into poverty after the death of his father and must be pulled back from the brink of suicide by his kind, hardworking, and pious friend Robert. Original printed cloth-covered boards with decorative border in blue and gilt on both boards, title on upper board, and an image of a man on lower board. . Small octavo. With 16 color-printed plates. Some rubbing to corners and a bit of toning to edges of boards. Neatly rebacked with blue cloth, endpapers replaced, and inner gutters restored. Plate facing page six is loose and laid in at original position. Still a very good, very bright and clean copy of an uncommon item. Painter and lithographer Jean Victor Adam (1801 – 1867) trained at the École des Beaux-Arts and under the direction of Charles Meynier and Jean-Baptiste Regnault. Adam was commissioned by the Museum at Versailles to paint several pieces, including The Battle of Castiglione (1836), three of which were painted in collaboration with Jean Alaux (1786 – 1864).