SPL Hand Coloured Rare Book Collection Featuring Norman R Bobins

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LINATI, Claudo.
Costumes et Moeurs de Mexique.

This book "Immediately became the basis for many other illustrations of Mexico, as well as the principal source for information on the region since Humboldt" (Mathes). In addition to portraying a variety of Mexican civilians, soldiers, laborers, and servants, this collection of lithographs includes a portrait of "Moctetzouma Xocotzin" (Moctezuma II); a portrait of General Guadalupe Victoria, President of the Mexican Republic; a portrait of José María Morelos, the Roman Catholic priest, and revolutionary who led the Mexican War of Independence movement; an Apache chief on horseback "from the Colorado River in California"; a Mexican "ranchero" dragging "an officer from the front of his battalion with the historic lasso"; and a man extracting pulque de maguey to make the traditional alcoholic beverage from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant known as pulque, using a long gourd to suck out the sap (pulque was considered sacred); and a cockfight. A work under a similar title appeared in Brussels in 1828 with 48 plates. Captions in French.

Published
Brussels: Lithographie Royale de Jobard, [1828].
References
Colas 1872; Lipperheide 1622; Palau 138502; Vinet 2232; Bobins 18.
Plates
48
Binding/Size
M=4to
Value
0-5000
Published
Brussels: Lithographie Royale de Jobard, [1828].
Ref
5802

Quarto, 48 hand-coloured lithograph plates no. 1-48, drawn by Linarti, plus title, published in original 12 parts - each with 4 plates. In original pink wrappers dated 1828, contemporary calf-backed marbled boards (sometime) re-cornered, preserved in a modern cloth-covered box. Title label to spine, spine cracked and worn. Foxing and staining throughout. An English edition appeared in 1830, lithographed in colour by Engelmann. "These outstanding lithographs are an important source on Mexican life and manners during the first decades of the nineteenth century. Included is a magnificent illustration of a bold Apache chief with numerous colourful tattoos on his chest and arms, armed with a decorated shield and lance, galloping on horseback, with legend below: Cacique Apache des bords du Rio Colorado dans le Californie. The most popular of the [illustrated] albums [of Latin America] were those containing landscape views and costumbritas scenes, and it was in those areas that the ‘confrontación de miradas’ between European and Latin American artists can best be examined... Linati’s own Costumes civils, militaires et réligieux du Mexique is one of the most interesting and liveliest of the more specialized albums. Despite its title, it is considerably more than a book of picturesque costumes of trade, professions, and regions (though it contains these, too). It includes historical figures, each carefully commented on and chosen out of a clear commitment to Mexican ideals of independence and reform. This work immediately became the basis for many other illustrations of Mexico and the principal source for information on the region since Humboldt". (Dawn Ades, Guy Brett, Stanton Loomis Catlin & Rosemary O’Neill, Art in Latin America: The Modern Era, 1820-1980, Yale University Press, 1989, pp. 73-74). Coloured plates: 1. Frontispiece. Moctetzouma Xocotzin. Dernier Empereur du Mexique, peint par ordre de Fernand Cortez. 2. Costumes Mexicains (hacendado) Proprietaire. 3. Costumes Mexicains. Dragon. Troupe de Ligne. 4. Costumes Mexicains. Jeune Ouvriere. 5. Costumes Mexicains. Extraction du Pulque du Maguey (Aloes) au moyen d'une longue Calebasse avec la quelle on l'aspire. 6. Costumes Mexicains. Le general Guadalupe Victoria - [ex] President de la republique Mexicaine. 7. Costumes Mexicains. Regidor. Membre de la Municipalite de Mexico (nouveau costume.) 8. Costumes Mexicains. Femme de Cuidad Rodrigo. Province de Yucatan. 9. Costumes Mexicains. Soldat en petit tenure. 10. Marchand de Volailles / Marchand de Graisses / Marchande de Bonbons. 11. Costumes Mexicains. Le Cure Morelos. Un des chefs de l'insurrection Mexicaine. 12. Costumes Mexicains. Costeno. Negre des environs de Vera-crux (Santa Fe) dans son costumes de dimanche. 13. Costumes Mexicains. Jeune femme de Tehuantepee. 14. Berger Mexicain. 15. Costumes Mexicains. Filisola Calabrais. Generale de Cavalerie, commandant de la place de Mexico. 16. Costumes Mexicains. Officier de Dragons. Nouveau Costume. 17. Costumes Mexicains. Maniere de porter des mendicans, pour exciter la pitie. 18. Costumes Mexicains. Aguador. Porteur d'eau. 19. Costumes Mexicains. Moine de la Merced en voyage. 20. Fantassin en grande tenue. Nouveau Costume. 21. Sereno - Watchman a Mexico. 22. Costumes Mexicains. Marchand d'Outres a Pulque. 23. Costumes Mexicains. Negre etendu dans son hamac. 24. Costumes Mexicains. Maniere de voyage des Dames au Mexique. 25. Hidalgo. 26. Costumes Mexicains. Servante Indienne. 27. Pelea de Gallos. Combat de Coqs. 28. Costumes Mexicains. Cacique Apache. 29. Costumes Mexicains. Jeune fille de Palenque dans la province de Yacatan. 30. Costumes Mexicains. Ecrivain public, sur la grand place a Mexico. 31. Fray Gregorio, Carmelite. 32. Costumes Mexicains. (Lepero) Vagabond. 33. Costumes Mexicains. Ranchero Mexicain, Creole a cheval jetant le noeud coulant. 34. Costumes Mexicains. Seminarisle. 35. Costumes Mexicains. Tortilleras. 36. Costumes Mexicans. Ecrivain public, sur la grand place a Mexico. 37. Costumes Mexicains. Marchand de biscuits enveloppe dans un drap de lit. 38. Costumes Mexicains. Dispute de deux Indiennes. 39. Costumes Mexicains. Dame elegant a Mexico. 40. Costumes Mexicains. Boucher ambulant dans Mexico. Costumes Mexicains. Miliciens provinciaux de Guazacualco. 41. Costumes Mexicains. Lancer Mexicain. 42. Costumes Mexicains. Frayle Camilo. Costumes Mexicains. Garde civique d'Alvarado, descendant. 43. Costumes Mexicains. Le Monte. 44. Costumes Mexicains. Enterrement d'un Pauvre. 45. Costumes Mexicains. (Attelage) Litière de Vera Cruz a Mexico. 46. Coche de Colleras. Voiture de voyage, de Mexico a Jalapa. Vue du grand Pic d'Orizaba. 47. Cocher d'une maison noble. Chausse d'une seule botte. 48. L'enjambee des Geans. Jeu Mexicain.