Books

London: Smith, Elder, and Co, 1867-69, 1860. Seventh Edition of volume I; Fifth Edition of volume II; Second Edition of volumes III and IV; FIRST EDITION of volume V.. 257 x 175 mm. (10 1/8 x 7"). Five volumes.. HANDSOME 19TH CENTURY BROWN MOROCCO, covers with gilt Greek key roll border, raised bands, compartments with gilt rules, central floral ornaments, and gilt lettering, gilt turn-ins, all edges gilt. Volumes III-V each with frontispiece plus a total of 84 steel-engraved plates (a few in color), eight wood-engraved plates, and several wood-engraved illustrations in the text by the author, J. M. W. Turner, and others. ◆A touch of rubbing to extremities, spines slightly sunned, covers with a few negligible blemishes, but the bindings very well preserved with only minor signs of wear; isolated light foxing to perhaps a score of leaves in total (mostly confined to upper margins and only once touching a plate), a few instances of faint thumbing, but the contents clean and fresh,…

This five-volume work argued that art should focus on depicting nature with truth and sincerity.