La Gréce. Vues Pittoresques et Topographiques

THIS BOOK IS REGARDED BY MANY AS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK OF GREEK VIEWS( BLACKMER CATALOGUE)
First edition.2 volumes (large folio and landscape folio) vol I: title page,(IV), 28 pgs of text ;  Peloponesus and Achaia;18 pgs Grece Septentrional, 1 leaf of Classement.Illustrated with 15 lithographical vignettes and 84 large lithographies. Vol II in plano with 27 large lithographies representing views, landscapes, panoramas, harbours, etc. Both volumes with original light brown half calf binding.Both  bindings and lithographies in perfect condition. This is the Stackelberg´s chef d´oeuvre and it is regarded by many as the most beautiful book of Greek views ever printed ( Blackmer).
Stackelberg (1786-1837) was born in Estonia from a noble family whose father was colonel in the Russian imperial army.Studied at Gottingen and traveled to Italy with some friends and continued travel  to Greece in 1810 where he  joined to the english architects John Foster and Robert Cockerell. They carried out excavations in the temple of Aphaia at Aegina island and later in the temple of Apollo Bassae  at  Arcadia. He travelled extensively to Italy, Greece and Turkey and is considered one of the founders of the German Archeological Institute in Rome.
Complete copies with text and large views bound in plano are very rarely found in the antiquarian book market.As an example, the Blackmer copy was uncomplete and without the double page views bound in plano. An exceptional copy in extremely fine condition.
Ref: Weber 1122,Blackmer 1593.