Herbier Forestier de la France Reproduction par la photographie d'après nature et de grandeur naturelle des principales plantes ligneuses qui croissent spontanément en forêt. Description botanique. Situation. Culture. Qualités. Usages

Paris: Rothschild, 1873. Large folio. (17 1/8 x 12 5/8 inches). Two volumes comprising 200 collotypes printed by G. Arosa et Cie., each approx. 9¼ x 7¼ in. or the reverse, printed titles with publishers' and printers' credits on mounts, with letterpress, titles and text. Contemporary half black morocco

One of the first books illustrated with collotypes rather than photolithography or photogravure.

The present work stands out as one of the few publications that unequivocally attribute the collotype plates to the exceptionally rare Motay and Maréchal process. Cyprien Tessié du Motay and Charles-Raphaël Maréchal, pioneers in the field, are widely recognized as the trailblazers behind the practical implementation of the collotype process in 1865. By adopting what was then a new process, De Gayffier's project holds a unique position as one of the early examples of works featuring illustrations created through the innovative collotype process, setting it apart from the prevalent techniques of photolithography and photogravure of the time. The Motay and Maréchal process played a pivotal role in advancing the art of photography. The process involved the meticulous transfer of an image onto a sensitized lithographic stone, using a multi-step process that allowed for the creation of detailed and high-quality prints. Collotype's distinct characteristic was its exceptional ability to reproduce fine tonal gradations and intricate details, making it particularly well-suited for capturing the nuances of forest foliage as is evident in the beautifully detailed plates in this work. De Gayffier's project is also notable for its pioneering approach to documenting true forest foliage, a departure from the more conventional choice at the time of documenting large parks. This endeavor represented a significant shift in the subject matter of early photography, focusing on the richness of natural environments and their botanical diversity. Léon de Gayffier, who was appointed by the Minister of Agriculture for the specific purpose of undertaking "special photographic operations" in 1867. Complete copy of this rare work. The Musée français de la Photographie has an album of only 54 plates.

Voignier, Répertoire des Photographes de France au Dix-Neuvième Siècle, p.113; Eder, Josef M, and Edward Epstean (translator), History of Photography, by Josef Maria Eder. p. 617; Hanson, David, Checklist of photomechanical processes and printing 1825-1910, p. 133.