Ars Pictoria: or an Academy treating of Drawing, Limning, Painting, Etching. [Provenance]: To which are Added XXXI. Copper Plates, Expressing the Choicest, Nearest, and Most Exact Grounds and Rules of Symmetry. Collected out of the most Eminent Italian, German, and Netherland Authors.

Front and back cover appear original. Spine has been replaced, well done and in leather with 6 raised bands. Front and back corners also replaced at same time and with same material. In solid condition but worn. All pages and images are present, including final engraving. Text is clear and easy to read with some wear to the edges of pages, especially towards the rear - no impact to images. Age color to pages with some spotting. Inscriptions from previous owners on front pastedown and subsequent blanks. Some ink in pages and pencil doodling on blanks or margins.

Provenance: On the blank side of the Frontispiece is a large signature from Abel Hold (1815-1891) with biographical details including bithdate, marriage, and date of his wife's passing. Abel was a landscape and game artist, who did some portraiture. Never a welthy man, Abel, would often send a painting of a starving man to his patron who would promptly pay. He had many shows in London, including at The Royal Academy and other salons of the time. Rather romantically (and solely from my opinion), the book has the look and feel of an artist's book and while heavily used, shows care and repair to ensure longevity. Additional family and earlier owner details on front pastedown.

Pages: 229     Dimensions: 8¼ x 12½ x 1