[40] pl. (all dble. except nos. [30], [32]); 558 mm. (Broadsheet).
Responsibility Note
The illustrators whose signatures appear are: draughtsmen Israel Silvestre and François Dorbay; engravers Jean Marot ('J.Marotte'), Sebastien Le Clerc, Israel Silvestre and François Dorbay. It has been suggested that the signature 'J. Marotte' may refer to Jean Marot fils.
References
L. E. Faucheux, Catalogue raisonnée de toutes les estampes qui forment l'oeuvre d'Israel Silvestre (1857).
Summary Note
This is a collection of plates without a printed or engraved title and usually referred to by a binding title, 'Maisons royales et villes frontieres de France'. It is listed in the 1802 catalogue of the Royal Academy's Library as 'Vues des Palais, Chateaus, Villages, &c. en France, par Silvestre, &c.' Its contents vary slightly in different copies. Brunet calls for 46 plates; Duplessis for 43. The Royal Academy's copy comprises 40 plates.
The 40 plates show (with dates and signatures): [1-3] the Louvre (1676, 1678, 1678), engr. J. Marotte; [4] the Louvre (1677), made by le Clerc; [5] Tuileries (1669), engr. I. Silvestre; [6-10] Tuileries, drawn and engr. by I. Silvestre; [11] arc de triomphe at Porte St. Antoine (1679), engr. le Clerc; [12] College des quatre Nations (1670), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [13] Vincennes (1668), engr. I. Silvestre; [14] St Germain en Laye (n.d.), unsigned; [15, 16] St Germain en Laye (1667, 1666), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [17, 18] chateau de Madrid (1676, 1677), engr. J. Marotte; [19] Monceaux (1673), engr. I. Silvestre; [20, 21] Monceaux (1679, 1680), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [22] Fontainebleau (n.d.), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [23] Fontainebleau (n.d.), made by I. Silvestre; [24-27] Fontainebleau (1667, 1666, 1679, 1678) , drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [28, 29] Chambor (1678, 1676), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [30] Blois (1677), drawn & engr. by Dorbay; [31] Blois (1672), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [32] Compiegne (1677), drawn & engr. by Dorbay; [33] Marimont (1673), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [34-37] Sedan, Stenay, Mommedy, Jametz (n.d.), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre; [38-40] Verdun (1669), Metz (1667?), Marsal (1670), drawn & engr. by I. Silvestre.
In 1727 these plates were rearranged and combined with various others to form some of the volumes of the reissue of the Cabinet du Roi (volumes D, N and O in the listing of the Imprimerie Royale).
Provenance
Acquired between 1769 and 1802. Recorded in RAA Library, Catalogue, 1802.
Binding Note
18th-century red morocco, upper and lower covers gilt-decorated with border and central heraldic device (shield emblasoned with three fleurs-de-lys, encircled by collars of the orders of S. Michel and the Saint-Esprit); gilt-decorated spine, lettered 'Villes Et Maisons Royales'.
Subject
Architecture, French - Palaces - Country houses - Cities - France - Paris - History - 17th century
Views - 17th century
Pictorial works - 17th century