135 - VAUTIER LACOUR: MONUMENTS DE SCULPTURE ANTIQUES ET MODERNES COMPRENANT ENTRE AUTRES LES CARYATIDES DU TEMPLE DE PANDROSE ET PLUSIEURS FRAGMENTS DE LA FRISE DU MONUMENT DE LYSICRATE À ATHÈNES. PARIS, 1839

VAUTIER LACOUR: MONUMENTS DE SCULPTURE ANTIQUES ET MODERNES COMPRENANT ENTRE AUTRES LES CARYATIDES DU TEMPLE DE PANDROSE ET PLUSIEURS FRAGMENTS DE LA FRISE DU MONUMENT DE LYSICRATE À ATHÈNES. PARIS, 1839 First edition IMPERIAL FOLIO, contemporary leather over boards with light wear, complete 14p. and eighty eight (88) Folio plates, some light scattered spotting in few plates, on front past down manuscript ownership inscription of William St Clair, leading Hellenist, overall in very good condition and with fine provenance. Lacour, an ardent philhellene, visited Greece in the 1830s to study closely the ancient monuments. It is a very important work for the accurate preservation of the ancient heritage before several later restoration works, displacements or degradation. It was published during the peak of Philhellenism by showcasing ancient Greek masterpieces alongside modern developments. It has heavily favored Neoclassical style to reconnect the modern Greek state with its classical roots. A very influential scientific publication which helped codify what is considered as masterpieces, by placing Greek antiquities at the pinnacle of sculpture, it solidified the global prestige of Greek heritage. This Imperial Folio volume, very richly illustrated, has served as reference and study material for artists and architects during the neoclassical period and served as the original source. It is not by accident that one of the leading contemporary Hellenists,William St Clair, had this particular copy in his own private collection.