Notice sur la vie et les ouvrages de M. Jacques-Louis David. Avec portrait.

FIRST AND ONLY EDITION OF THIS IMPORTANT PRIMARY SOURCE ON DAVID'S LIFE AND WORK, published the year before he died. 84 pp., including 4-page publisher's catalogue. Printed on good laid paper. Although this book was published anonymously, David himself is obviously the main author, at least by dictation. He describes his life and work, discussing dozens of paintings in great detail: these are among his only recorded commentaries on his own oeuvre. Charming lithographed frontispiece portrait of David in middle age, looking rather dashing with his Legion of Honor medal. 8vo. Bound in later quarter cloth and marbled boards, original pink printed wrappers preserved. Light wear to corners of binding, small restoration to wrappers, some internal spotting, but still clean, in very good overall condition. Always a very scarce and important book (every institutional copy I have located, aside from the BL copy, is either missing the portrait or is simply a photocopy of the original), and copies such as this one--complete with the publisher's catalogue, the frontispiece portrait, and the original wraps--are of the greatest rarity.