"Monument du costume physique et moral de la fin du dix-huit - Lot 94

"Monument du costume physique et moral de la fin du dix-huitième siècle ou tableaux de la vie", 1789 Neuwied sur le Rhin, by the Société typographique Adorned with figures drawn and engraved by M. Moreau le jeune, draughtsman of the Cabinet of S. M. T. C., and by other famous artists Handwritten statement "Purchased March 1889". Number of pages uncollated 56 x 42.5 cm Freckling, trace of an old bookmark on a double page, a few restorations of page tears without noticeable damage to the text or engravings, wear Note: An emblematic work from the end of the Ancien Régime, the Monument du costume physique et moral de la fin du dix-huitième siècle is one of the most remarkable iconographic works devoted to mores and daily life on the eve of the French Revolution. Produced under the direction of Moreau le Jeune, draughtsman of the King's Cabinet, this collection combines text and engravings to offer a detailed panorama of society: costumes, genre scenes, social practices and behavior, in an approach that is both descriptive and aesthetic. Each plate, of great finesse, testifies to the XVIIIᵉ century taste for the observation of customs and for the elegant representation of reality. Published in 1789, at the very moment of the revolutionary upheavals, the work takes on a special dimension today, fixing in images a world about to disappear. It is a precious document of social and cultural history, as well as a testimony to the artistic refinement of its time. Thanks to its large format and the quality of its engravings, this set stands out as a prestigious book, sought after by lovers of costume, history and bibliophily, for its documentary, aesthetic and historical interest.