Album de la Cavalerie de l'Armee Espagnole

Madrid: J. Donon, 1855. The Cavalry of the Spanish Army in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century
Wonderfully Depicted in Twelve Magnificent Hand-Colored Lithographs


GIMÉNEZ, artist (fl. 1850-1862). Album de la Cavalerie de l'Armee Espagnole. Madrid: J. Donon, [1850].

Title from cover. Apparently bound without the title page as called for by Colas.

First edition. Oblong elephant folio (21 1/8 x 27 1/4 inches; 536 x 692 mm.). Twelve superb hand colored lithograph plates all heightened with gum arabic. The plates were drawn by Giminez and lithographed by Mugica.

Contemporary Spanish diced calf, covers (truncated) bordered in blind, front cover lettered in gilt "Album de la Cavalerie de l'Armee Espagnole". Expertly rebacked, smooth spine ruled in blind, marbled endpapers. Corners repaired, edges rubbed. With the bookplate of A. Balsan on front paste-down.

An extremely rare collection of illustrations that vividly capture the Spanish army's cavalry regiments from the first half of the nineteenth century. Each plate, except for the last, comprises three distinct scenes, each featuring a rider on a splendid horse with a scenic Spanish backdrop. This level of detail suggests a high degree of artistry and historical accuracy, providing valuable insights into the uniforms, equipment, and overall appearance of the cavalry regiments during that period.

These illustrations would be of significant interest to historians, military enthusiasts, and collectors, offering a rich visual record of the Spanish cavalry and the landscape of Spain during the early nineteenth century. The combination of detailed depictions of the cavalry and the picturesque backgrounds also makes the suite a work of art in its own right, reflecting both military history and artistic achievement.

The artist Giménez produced other illustrations of military and naval costume plates for the publisher Donon, including Uniformes del Cuerpo General de la Armada (c. 1862).

OCLC/KVK locate no copies in libraries and institutions worldwide.

Provenance: Balsan is a French garment manufacturing firm that has been supplying the French army since 1850. In 1914, Balsan invented the "Blue Horizon" color for military clothing, establishing itself as the reference for creating the iconic uniforms of many state organizations.

The Plates:

1. Colegio, Direccion-Escuela / Cadete: Oficial: Soldado
2. Coracheros / Rey
3. Coracheros / Reyna: Principe: Borbon
4. Lanceros / Trompeta: Soldado: Oficial
5. Húsares de Pavía / Batidor: Trompeta: Oficial
6. Húsares de Calatrava / Oficial: Trompeta: Batidor
7. Húsares de la Princesa / Trompeta: Batidor: Oficial
8. Cazadores / Cazador: Trompeta: Oficial
9. Plana Mayor / Medico: Capellan: Picador
10. Plana Mayor / Mariscal: Sillero: Herrador
11. Remontas / Oficial: Soldado: Potrero
12. Sirvientes / Asistente: Carrero

Bobins IV, 1279; Colas 57; Hiler, p.13. (Inventory #: 05909)