Arabesques Mythologieques, ou les attributs de toutes les Divinités de la Fable

Paris: Charles Barrois, 1810-1811. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good+. Contemporary marbled boards, backed in green calf, gilt-stamped lettering and ornament on spine; 2 volumes, 8vo (205x122mm); pp. [4], xxx, 266; [2], iv, 228, [1]; with half-title pages, 78 engraved color plates by Gaille (many finished by hand), leaf containing the original paper label to be cut out for the wrappers intact at the end of Volume 2. Spines somewhat sunned; scuffing and some light bumping along joints and edges of boards. A little light spotting or browning here and there, (truncated) but contents are overall bright and clean.

FIRST EDITION of this highly unusual work. Madame de Genlis was a prolific writer and teacher, and this work was issued to educate about the history of pagan gods. Each plate incorporates the name of a god into the design in cursive and in mirror image. As a result, the names themselves are hidden within the ornament surrounded by the recognized attributes of the god or gods. Gumuchian 2699. (Inventory #: D14107)