[Nîmes]. CLERISSEAU (C.L.) Antiquités de la France. Tome pre - Lot 268

[Nîmes]. CLERISSEAU (C.L.) Antiquités de la France. Tome premier [only published]. Monumens de Nismes. Volume of plates. [Paris, de l'imprimerie de Pierre Didot l'Aîné, aux galeries du Louvre, An XII - 1804]. One large folio volume, contemporary half-basane. Binding damaged, first cover detached, first quire practically detached, one plate torn but not missing. Single atlas volume containing 63 hors-texte plates by Baltard, some on double page, copper-engraved from drawings by Charles-Louis Clérisseau (1721 - 1820), depicting views, plans, sections, elevations and architectural details of the Maison carrée, arenas, amphitheater, temple of Diana... Originally published in 1778, this first volume of Antiquités de la France is the only one to have been published. Originally comprising just 42 plates, it was enlarged for this second edition by 21 engravings.