Rubens, Peter Paul

large folio (525 x 340mm.), LARGE PAPER, half-title, coloured engraved portrait of Rubens by Benoist after Le Clerc, 24 aquatint plates by Benoist, Duthé, Gabriel, Gautier and others after Rubens, printed in colours and finished by hand, contemporary tree calf gilt by Tessier, with his ticket, covers with scallop shell border, flat spine gilt in compartments with allegorical figures, red morocco lettering-piece, gilt edges, occasional light spotting, spine repaired at head and foot, corners slightly bumped

"Marie Thécle Cécile C[omte]sse Moszynska, née C[omte]sse Sadowska", bought at Lvov ("Léopoli") from the bookseller Pfaff, early inscription beneath binder's ticket; Rudolf von Gutmann, armorial bookplate, sale in these rooms, 2 April 1993, lot 84

Maria Moszynska (1780-1840) was the wife of Jan Nepomucen Moszynski, both from aristocratic families in Poland-Lithuania. At the time of purchase, Lvov/Lemberg was part of the Austrian Empire following the first Partition of Poland in 1772. The bookshop in Lvov was a branch of the Warsaw bookshop owned by F. Pfaff.

Rudolf von Gutmann (1880-1966) was a prolific collector of prints in Vienna who fled in 1938 through Czechoslovakia to Canada. His art collections were restituted after the war and his library sold in 1993.

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."

The Galerie de Rubens was commissioned for the Luxembourg Palace by Marie de' Medici when regent for her son Louis XIII, in what was a blatant attempt to glorify the house of Medici and the achievements of Marie as queen and regent, despite her later somewhat inglorious banishment from France and years of exile around the Continent; she died in Brussels in the Rubens family home.