L’Esprit des Beaux Arts. by ESTEVE, Pierre (1720-1790).

First Edition. Two volumes in one, 12mo, (165 x 88mm), pp. [iv], 252, [3] contents and errata; [iv], 231, [3] contents and errata, [5] privilege, 17 publisher’s catalogue, engraved vignettes on both title pages, with the half titles, in contemporary calf, a little dusty and worn, headcap missing, spine gilt in compartments with dark morocco label lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, red edges.

First edition of a wide-ranging study of the arts by Pierre Estève, a medical doctor attached to the University of Montpellier and the author of numerous works on astronomy, music, language and aesthetics. Beginning with an examination of the nature of language, and the French language in particular, Estève proceeds to a detailed discussion of music, touching on its history, comparing ancient and modern taste in music and discussing the principles of melody, recitative and French opera, as well as dance and ballet. A final part is devoted to architecture, with specific reference to theatre architecture.
Bound after the work is Bauche’s extensive publisher’s catalogue, which lists some three hundred titles in the fields of philosophy, literature and science. This catalogue is of particular importance as many of Bauche’s publications were controversial and did not bear his name in the imprint. For example it was Bauche who published Diderot’s Lettre sur les Sourds et Muets, 1741, which was published with simply the date as imprint, but is openly listed here.
With attractive engraved vignettes on both title-pages, by Pierre-Alexandre Aveline (1710-1760). The first of these, which is unsigned, bears the inscription, ‘le plaisir des beaux Arts, est le plaisir des Sages’.

Cioranescu 27897; Cohen-de Ricci 363.