LE VACHER DE CHARNOIS Costumes et Annales des grands théâtres de Paris, accompagnés de notices intéressantes et curieuses, avec privilège du roi… Il parait tous les samedis un numéro de ce journal.

First edition illustrated with 179 engravings including 177 of 18^th century theater costumes, with 146 in contemporary colors.

“There are large-paper copies in 4to format, in these, the first six issues are printed with larger justification and the six plates are in 4to format; these six plates are reduced in size in the 8vo edition.” (Colas)

Superb album of plates by Janinet, engraved in aquatint and colored, for the review of Costumes et Annales des Grands Théâtres de Paris, published from 1786 to 1789, including colored portraits of Misses Arnould, Colombe, Dumesnil, Mmes Favart or Gontier, Mr. Contat, Dugazon, Le Kain, etc. This review appeared as weekly issues, every Saturday, then Friday from July 21, 1786.

Precious copy from the deluxe issue in 4to format on large paper.

“176 figures in wash and color, after Duplessi-Bertaux, Dutertre, Le Barbier, Desrais, Janinet, etc., or unsigned and engraved by Janinet.

Periodic publication with 48 issues per year, as stated in the prospectus, with 24 colored figures, 24 engravings after the antique, and 36 music plates, priced at 30 livres (the first three years had 48 issues and the fourth 33 only).

This work, started by Mr. D’Auberteuil and continued by Le Vacher de Charnois, was regularly published from April 15, 1786, to November 8, 1789, when it was voluntarily stopped by Charnois. An interesting collection, sought after for the information it provides on theater, but especially for its lovely portraits of actresses, including Miss Contat (role of Suzanne in ‘The Mad Day’), Mrs Dugazon, Miss Guimard, Miss Colombe, Mrs Vestris, Mrs Favart, Sophie Arnould, Adrienne Lecouvreur, Raucourt, etc.” (Cohen, Guide de l’amateur de livres à gravures du XVIIIe siècle, col.226-227.)

Jean-Charles Le Vacher de Charnois (born in Paris on March 14, 1749, where he died on September 2, 1792, in the Abbaye prison, during the September massacres) was a French writer, journalist, playwright, and theater critic.

After a stint in the royal administration, he began his literary career by writing the Journal des théâtres in 1777. He was familiar with the theater world, to which he was connected through his marriage to Angélique-Marie Dubus, daughter of the actor Préville, in Paris on November 29, 1777. In 1777, he was friends with an actress, Mrs Bellecour, and in 1780, he was the lover of an actress from the Comédie-Française and then the Opera, Miss Durancy. But after reconciling with his wife, he had to break up with the actress, who, in despair, took her own life.

First edition of this precious work for the history of theater decor and costume, illustrated with 177 figures in first issue on large paper.

The iconography is of particular interest for the illustration of plays, with most engravings dedicated to actors.

The finely engraved and delicately colored set presents a beautiful artistic quality. Highly sought-after book: 30,000 fr. (large paper) Besombes 1930. While remarkable books from the Rahir library were sold starting at 1,000 fr.

Provenance: printed ex-libris of Louis Jouvet, a famous French actor and theater director, professor at the Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique.