CHOISEUL-GOUFFIER, Marie Gabriel, de (1752-1822) - Voyage pittoresque de la Grece. Paris: J.J. Blaise, 1782-1822.   First edition of this splendid, richly illustrated work by Count Choiseul-Gouffier. The first volume is in the third issue, as the Discours Préliminaire ends with "O utinam.." on the verso of page. XII. In 1809 a second volume was published, followed posthumously in 1822 by the third (volume 2.2). The plates were drawn by Choiseul-Gouffier himself, and then engraved by Huet, Choffart, Delignon, Halbou, Cosseti and other artists. They mostly depict suggestive views, customs of the local population, architectural details and maps executed with extreme precision. The author also focuses considerably on Turkey and Constantinople, where, following the enormous success achieved by the first volume of the work, he was appointed ambassador in 1784.   2 tomes in 3 volumes, folio (505 x 340mm). Half-titles, engraved vignettes on titles, portrait of the author on frontispiece of volume 3, one table "Race de Dardanus" in the second volume, large engraved cul-de-lampe, complete with the 285 illustrations on 170 plates as called for in the index, including 2 unnumbered maps of Greece (lacking the text leaf 8/2 in vol. II, browning and foxing). 19th-century binding with calf spine over marbled covers, gilt decorations and title on spines, marbled endpapers (light rubbing to spines and extremities). (3)

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