Faber du Faur, Christian Wilhelm von.

2 volumes text and atlas, atlas: folio (574 x 426mm.), lithographed title-page, 100 lithographed plates, some pages spotted, a few heavily, text: 4to (318 x 195mm), uniform contemporary green morocco-backed boards, edges bumped

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Christian Wilhelm von Faber du Faur (1780-1857) was a lieutenant in the Second Foot Artillery Battery of the Wurttemburg Army, an element in the massed host assembled by Napoleon for the invasion of Russia. Of the 15,000 Wurttemburgers who set out, only a hundred returned to Poland in December 1812. Faber du Faur was one of these. He was a skilled amateur artist and, whilst on the march, made a detailed record of the campaign through sketches in pencil, ink and watercolour. These illustrations provide a graphic visual account of Napoleon's invasion, from the crossing of the River Niemen in June 1812 to the calamitous retreat in December, and include scenes of life in camp, of the Russian landscape and populace, of the problems posed by the weather, and of battle scenes.