Costumes Belgiques, Civils, Militaires, Religieux, Anciens et Modernes

Bruxelles: J.B.A.M. Jobard, 1825. A Superb Set in the Original Wrappers of Madou & Van Hamelryck's Costumes of Belgium
Complete with 124 Fine Hand Colored Lithograph Plates

MADOU, Jean-Baptiste, and [Jean-Louis Van HAMELRYCK]. Costumes Belgiques, Civils, Militaires, Religieux, Anciens et Modernes. Dessinés par Madou. Vingt-cinq livraisons de cinq planches, et une feuille de texte. Bruxelles: J.B.A.M. Jobard & Jobard Freres, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828 & 1830.

First edition in the original twenty-five parts as issued.

Folio (12 3/8 x 9 1/2 inches; 314 x 241 mm.). [i-ii, engraved vignette title-page, verso blank], [iii]-iv, Introduction, [1-9];
[10-17]; [18-25]; [26-33]; [34-41]; [42-49]; [50-57]; [58-65]; [66-73]; [74-81]; [82-89]; [90-97]; [98-105]; [106-113]; [114-121]; [122-129]; [130-137]; [138-145]; [146-153]; [154-161]; [162-169]; [170-177]; [178-185]; [186-193]; [193-196], [i]-iv, table. pp. Paper fault on lower margin of pp. 58-59 (part 11), not affecting text.

Complete with 124 fine hand colored lithograph plates, the first 55 signed by Madou, plates 56-124 signed by Van Hamelryck.

Plate 68 (part 14) with small stain just touching image; plates 69 & 70 with blank lower right hand corner torn away, not affecting images; Plate 94 (part 17) with stains to outer blank margins, not affecting image; Plate 96 (part 20) with very slight marginal foxing, plates 97, 98 & 100 with light marginal staining, none affecting images; Plate 111 (part 23) with light marginal staining, not affecting image; Plates 116, 117, 119 & 120 (part 24) with light marginal staining, not affecting images;

Publishers lithographed blue/gray wrappers with advertisements on back covers. Wrapper of part 14 with small tear to lower corner of spine.

Aside from the aforementioned minor faults this is a near fine set. A remarkable survival, housed in a tan cloth chemise within a full red straight-grain morocco folding case, smooth spine decoratively ruled and lettered in gilt in compartments, marbled edges.

"Some of the first plates are drawn by Madou, while the last 60 bear the letters V.H. or the full name Van Hemelryck with the dates 1828 to 1830. Cf. Vinet No. 2208, where the work is listed under J. Madou." (Von Lipperheide II, 963).

Jean-Baptiste Madou (1796-1877) was a Belgian painter and lithographer. Madou was born in Brussels. He studied at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts and was a pupil of Pierre Joseph Célestin François. While draftsman to the topographical military division at Kortrijk, he received a commission for lithographic work from a Brussels publisher. It was about 1820 that he began his artistic career. Between 1825 and 1827 he contributed to Les Vues pittoresques de la Belgique, to a Life of Napoleon, and to works on the costumes of the Netherlands, Costumes Belgiques, Civils, Militaires, Religieux, Anciens et Modernes (1825-1830), XII dessins lithographies pour 1833 and later made a great reputation by his work in La Physionomie de la société en Europe depuis 1400 jusqu'à nos jours (1836) and Les Scenes de la vie des peintres and Soixante-Dix Vues Pittoresques de la Hollande, de la Belgique et du Grand-Duche de Luxembourg (1842). Madou was also the lithographer for most of the hand-colored plates in Jean Joseph de Cloet's rare Voyage Pittoresque en Belgique... collection comprenant plus de 200 vues interessantes... (1835).
"His works would appear to be scarce on the market" (Bobins II, p. 46).

Jean-Louis Van Hamelryck (active 1825-1850) was a Belgian painter and lithographer. Several of his works are in the Rijks Museum, Amsterdam.

Bobins II, 538; Brunet III, 1289; Colas, 1932; Hiler, p. 560; Lipperheide II, 962.