Excursion sur les Côtes et dans les Ports de Normandie.

The most complete edition of this pictorial survey of Northern France. Abbey notes that although the book was published in Paris for the French market, Ostervald employed two British artists and four British engravers, reflecting the high reputation enjoyed by the British watercolourists and engravers in Northern France.

The exceptional plates include seven after Bonington and two after Copley Fielding. Twenty-two of the plates are engraved by the other Fielding brothers, Thales and Theodore, although precise attribution of four of them (which are simply signed Th. Fielding) is not possible. In any case the book is a masterpiece of topographical illustration.

This book was originally published in parts and according to Brunet appeared under the title Voyage Pittoresque dans le ports et sur les cotes de France, with the part on Rouen found separately.

Lefebure-Duruflé was born in Rouen which explains the devotion of the first part of this work, and his most extensive historical account, to that city. He went to Paris to study law and eventually entered politics and later become a prominent member of the liberal party.

First edition; folio (47.5 x 30 cm); text in French, 40 hand-coloured aquatint plates, some watermarked 1823 and 1824, tissue guards, small faint water stain to upper margin not affecting contents, some plates slightly browned, textblock clean; later half straight-grained morocco, marbled boards, flat spine lettered in gilt, a touch of rubbing to extremities, a very good copy; [56]ff.

Abbey (Travel), 92; Brunet II, 1130; Prideaux 276, 335.