Beschreibung:

CANOVA, Antonio (1757-1822). The Works ... in Sculpture and Modelling, Engraved in Outline by Henry Moses; with Descriptions from the Italian of the Countess Albrizzi, and a Biographical Memoir by Count Cicognara . London: Thomas White for Septimus Prowett, 1824-1828.
CANOVA, Antonio (1757-1822). The Works ... in Sculpture and Modelling, Engraved in Outline by Henry Moses; with Descriptions from the Italian of the Countess Albrizzi, and a Biographical Memoir by Count Cicognara . London: Thomas White for Septimus Prowett, 1824-1828. 3 volumes, 4° (365 x 261mm). Engraved portrait frontispiece by William Henry Worthington after François-Xavier Fabre engraved deathbed portrait by Moses after Luigi Azimonti, 149 engraved plates by Moses after sculptures by Canova, 4 engraved plates by Moses of medals commemorating Canova, engraved plate by Moses of the church at Possagno, and engraved plate by Moses of a memorial to Canova, tissue guards. (Some light browning and spotting to text leaves, scattered spotting on some plates.) Contemporary hard-grained blue morocco gilt by Charles Smith [vol. I and II endpapers watermarked 1824], boards with blind-ruled borders enclosing gilt-ruled borders with floral and foliate cornerpieces, gilt board-edges and turn-ins, flat spines gilt in compartments, lettered in 2 and with imprint at the foot, gilt edges (some rubbing and scuffing, some slight discoloration). Provenance : John Cottrell Powell (1798-1834, bookplates) -- John Christie (booklabels). FIRST EDITION, LARGE-PAPER ISSUE, IN A CONTEMPORARY MOROCCO BINDING BY SMITH. The first two volumes of Prowett's collection of engravings of Canova's plastic works were published in 1824, and a third, supplementary volume was issued in 1828; it is uncommon to find complete, three-volume sets of the large-paper issue at auction, particularly in a closely-contemporary morocco binding. This edition was issued in three formats: octavo at £6. 6s; large-paper quarto (as here) at £9. 9s; and 50 india-paper copies at £16. 16s (cf. Brunet and Lowndes, both calling for one portrait and one plate less than here). John and John Bernard Burke record of John Cottrell Powell (for whom this set was presumably bound by Smith), that 'his death, 10 June, 1834, was attended by most afflictive circumstances. He was struck from his horse, run over, and killed by one of his Majesty's carriages, returning, filled with servants, from Ascot races' ( Dictionary of the Landed Gentry , London: 1849, II, p.1063). Brunet I, 1547; Lowndes pp. 366-367. (3)