Gaultier, Léonard
APULEIUS, Lucius L'amour de Cupido et Psiché mère de volupté prise des cinq et sixiesme livres de la Métamorphose de Lucius Apuleius philosophe. Nouvellement historée, et exposée en vers françois. [Paris] L. Gaultier [1586] 8vo: engr. title and 31 (of 32) pl. pasted on support ff. (last pl. missing; occ. foxing). 18th-c. marbled calf, gilt orn. spine with raised bands, red edges (sl. rubbed, joints partly split, flyleaves renewed). Fully engraved suite, first issue, of this ravishing "L'Amour de Cupido" by Jean Maugin (Paris, Jeanne de Marnef, 1546). Containing 1 title followed by 31 numbered plates (1-9, then X-XXXI, pl. XXXII missing) signed with monogram LG, i.e. Léonard Gaultier (Mainz 1561-1635/1641 Paris), after woodcut engravings from the edition of 1546, incl. under each plate the corresponding "huitain", a French verse form consisting of an eight-line stanza with 8 or 10 syllables in each line, in italics by Maugin. The stanzas are taken from the "Métamorphoses", and were first attributed to Jean Maugin, later Picot attributed them to Chappuys, Héroet and Mellin de Saint-Gelais. They were used to decorate the castle of Ecouen of Anne de Montmorency in 1542 and 1547. The title leaf bears the address of L. Gaultier under the form of "Leonar. Galter. fec. & excu.", followed by his monogram "LG". Gaultier's style is close to the mannerism of the Wiericx and he was influenced by Italian and German currents. Son-in-law of Antoine Caron and brother-in-law of Thomas de Leu, this prolific artist was the engraver of Henri III, Henri IV, Marie de' Medici and Louis XIII. He took charge of the distribution of his own works by running a shop in Paris. Ref. USTC. - BnF. - Machiels A-829. - Pettegree (FB) 1557. Prov. Contemp. ms. entry. - Unidentified armorial bookpl.
