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TORY, Geoffroy (1490-1533). Champ fleury. Au quel est contenu Lart & Science de la deue & vraye Proportion des Lettres Attiques ... proportionnees selon le Corps & Visage humain. Paris: printed for the author and Gilles Gourmont, 28th April 1529.
Small 2o (244 x 169 mm). Collation: A8 B-N6 O8. 88 leaves. Roman and Greek type, 50 lines and headline, side-notes. 116 woodcuts, series of alphabets (Hebrew, Greek, lettres fantastiques, etc.), and ciphers, Tory's device (pot cassé, Bernard no. 4) on title within woodcut border, larger versions of the device (Bernard nos. 5 and 6) on I1v and O8v, small woodcut of the French royal arms on title verso, one large initial L decorated with writing tools, small foliate initials. Red morocco gilt, edges gilt by Chambolle-Duru. Provenance: acquired from John Fleming, 1970.
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, OF THE MOST CELEBRATED ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE FRENCH RENAISSANCE: "The Art and Science of the Proportion of the Attic or Ancient Roman Letters, According to the Human Body and Face." As Tory states in his introduction, the idea of the Champ Fleury first came to him in 1523, inspired partly by an Attic letter which he had recently made for his friend, Jean Grolier. Tory's earlier travels in France and Italy, visiting the Colosseum, and seeing many ancient monuments, provided further inspiration for his ideas on letter-forms. The work is divided into three parts: the first is concerned with the French language, the second with the origin of Roman letters, and the third with the construction of letters. The woodcuts in the second section demonstrate proportions of letters based on the human form, and Bernard suggests they may be attributed to Jean Perréal, whom Tory credits with designs elsewhere. In the third section Tory provides a detailed account of and practical advice for the design and execution of letter-cutting. Published six years after its conception, Tory had already procured a privilege for the Champ Fleury in 1526; the privilege was printed in a Tory Book of Hours in 1527, and appears here as well (see lots 222 and 223). Adams T-837; Bernard Tory pp. 12-27, 81-84, 189-196; Besterman 100; Cicognara 362; Mortimer French 524. Fact and Fantasy 23.
Small 2o (244 x 169 mm). Collation: A8 B-N6 O8. 88 leaves. Roman and Greek type, 50 lines and headline, side-notes. 116 woodcuts, series of alphabets (Hebrew, Greek, lettres fantastiques, etc.), and ciphers, Tory's device (pot cassé, Bernard no. 4) on title within woodcut border, larger versions of the device (Bernard nos. 5 and 6) on I1v and O8v, small woodcut of the French royal arms on title verso, one large initial L decorated with writing tools, small foliate initials. Red morocco gilt, edges gilt by Chambolle-Duru. Provenance: acquired from John Fleming, 1970.
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, OF THE MOST CELEBRATED ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE FRENCH RENAISSANCE: "The Art and Science of the Proportion of the Attic or Ancient Roman Letters, According to the Human Body and Face." As Tory states in his introduction, the idea of the Champ Fleury first came to him in 1523, inspired partly by an Attic letter which he had recently made for his friend, Jean Grolier. Tory's earlier travels in France and Italy, visiting the Colosseum, and seeing many ancient monuments, provided further inspiration for his ideas on letter-forms. The work is divided into three parts: the first is concerned with the French language, the second with the origin of Roman letters, and the third with the construction of letters. The woodcuts in the second section demonstrate proportions of letters based on the human form, and Bernard suggests they may be attributed to Jean Perréal, whom Tory credits with designs elsewhere. In the third section Tory provides a detailed account of and practical advice for the design and execution of letter-cutting. Published six years after its conception, Tory had already procured a privilege for the Champ Fleury in 1526; the privilege was printed in a Tory Book of Hours in 1527, and appears here as well (see lots 222 and 223). Adams T-837; Bernard Tory pp. 12-27, 81-84, 189-196; Besterman 100; Cicognara 362; Mortimer French 524. Fact and Fantasy 23.