MYLIUS (Christian Friedrich) - Lot 272

MYLIUS (Christian Friedrich) Malerische Reise durch das Südliche Frankreich und einen Theil von Ober-Italien [Picturesque tour on foot through southern France and part of northern Italy]. Carlsruhe, Verfasser, 1818. 8 volumes in 4 in-8 volumes (approx. 700 pages per volume; 4 frontispiece plates) and an oblong in-4 atlas containing a 4-column text leaf (plates referenced to text) and 88/89 out-of-text lithographs numbered 1-87 and plates 18b, 18c, 39b, (plate 13 missing), a map of Lyon and its surroundings in fine (unnumbered). Modest Bradel-style boards, rubbed (for the text), modest ½ black cloth with corners slightly later with title vignette on spine (for the atlas). First lithographically illustrated trip to France. The plates signed M. are copied from Millin's Voyage dans les Départements du Midi de la France; atlas printed on a self-publishing basis. In 1812, Pastor Christian Friedrich Mylius traveled on foot (for lack of means) through southern France and the central part of the Pyrenees mountain range. His account is among the first of its kind. The route took in Burgundy, Franche-Comté, Lyonnais, Dauphiné, Languedoc, Provence, Roussillon and the Pyrenees. Several views are among the "incunabula" of regional lithography: Besançon, Clairval, Le Creusot, Château de Pierre-Encise, Lyon, etc. (Dendaletche 1326). Les Pyrénées begins at the end of part 4 and ends in the first quarter of part 6, i.e. over 400 pages, with adjoining plates (53, 54, 57, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 70 and 75). One of the major works on the Pyrenees in the early 19th century, unfortunately in a language that is difficult to access. For this work, see "Dussler: Les incunables de la lithographie allemande, 1796-1821" (p. 78-86).