This famous collection of priceless privately printed copper-plate engravings depicting the art, architecture and scientific knowledge of the day, was originally commissioned by Colbert, Louis XIV’s Prime Minister from 1661 to 1683.
2 reels
Reference: CDR
Contents
| Reel | Volume | Description |
| 1 | 1 | Views of towns, citadels, chateaux, etc. This volume, together with the next four, contains engravings from designs for tapestries. The subjects also include illustrations of the triumphant campaigns in the Low Countries, Germany and Italy, before the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. The original draughtsman in most cases was Adriaen-Francois Van der Meulen |
| 2 | Battles, hunting pieces etc. including views of the Chateaux Versailles, Fontainebleau, Vincennes etc. One engraving of particular interest is a view by Van der Meulen of the Seine from the Pont Neuf | |
| 3 | Etchings of landscapes, garden scenery etc. and studies of dead horses from the atelier of Van der Meulen | |
| 4 | Plans and views of towns, citadels, fortifications etc., showing also the disposition of the armies in the campaigns mentioned above. Engraved from sketches made on the spot by Pontault de Beaulieu while on active service as a military engineer | |
| 5 | Covers the same subjects as Volume 4 | |
| 6 | Cabinet des Medailles. A complete record by La Boissiere of King Louis XIV’s collection of antique medals | |
| 7 | Engravings of battles and events which led to the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 | |
| 8 | Covers the same subjects as Volumes 4, 5 and 7, depicting the prowess of French arms on land and sea – the victories of the campaigns ending with the Peace of Rijswijk in 1697 | |
| 9 | Illustrations of the Grand Fete and tournament (Carrousel) given by Louis XIV in 1662, engraved by Francois Chauveau and Israel Silvestre in 1670. There are also several views of the Tuileries and Paris Street scenes | |
| 10 | Busts, statues and vases mainly in the Tuileries and the gardens of Versailles. The principal engravers are Etienne Baudet and Claude Mellan | |
| 11 | Records the stages of building the Palace of Versailles, including a plan of the park in about 1665 by the royal cartographer, Francois de La Pointe which is the earliest surviving record of the layout of the gardens. This volume also contains several plates of the Palace by Israel Silvestre. There are also illustrations of the sculpture, ceiling painting etc. | |
| 2 | 12 | Same as Volumes 4, 5, 7 and 8 covering campaigns in the 1640s |
| 13 | Views of the grottos, fountains, mazes etc. at Versailles engraved by views Jean and Pierre Le Pautre, Chauveau, Sebastien Leclerc, Silvestre and many others. | |
| 14 | Illustrations of the royal fetes held at Versailles in May 1664, July 1668 and mid 1674, including scenes from Moliere’s Princesse d’Elide performed as one of the “Plaisirs de L’ile enchantee” in 1664; from his Malade Imaginaire, set in the Grotto of Thetis in 1674 as part of festivities to celebrate the re-conquest of Franche-Comte, and from LuIly’s AIceste (the Grand Divertissement Royal) also performed on the same occasion | |
| 15 & 16 | The royal collection of pictures, also the statues and busts of Versailles, the Louvre and the Tuileries. Most engravings by Gerard Edelinck | |
| 17 | Contains a series of engravings of the Tuileries by Silvestre, also the famous engraving of work in progress on the east front of the Louvre, by Sebastien Leclerc. The second half of this volume contains a magnificent series of plates of details, panelling, arabesques, doors, etc. in the Louvre and Tuileries, by Berain and others | |
| 18 | Plans, elevations and views of the royal palaces of Vincennes, Madrid, Monceaux, Chambord, St. Germain, Fontainebleau, Blois, and Compiegne. Most of the engravings are by Silvestre, Jean Marot and La Boissiere | |
| 19 | Engravings by Sebastien Leclerc of Lebrun’s designs for tapestries depicting important events of the reign of Louis XIV, and symbolizing the elements and the seasons of the year | |
| 20 | Illustrations of the campaigns in the Rhineland and Franche-Comte in the 1670s, engraved by Louis de Chastillon and Sebastien Leclerc. Known as “Les Petites Conquestes” | |
| 21 | Plans and elevations etc. of the “Hotel des Invalides” begun in 1670 to the designs of Liberal Bruant. Engravings by Daniel and Jean Marot, Jean and Pierre Le Pautre and Gerard Scotin | |
| 22 | A miscellaneous volume of engravings illustrating various battles, towns such as Metz, Verdun and Sedan; an impression of the College des Quatre Nations. These are all by Silvestre. There are also some engravings by one of the Audran family of Lebrun’s work in the chapel of the Chateaux of Sceaux |