(Métamorphoses de Arlequin. Parades).

Quarto (370x275), 12 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Langlum after Leprince, who is suggested as the author in an old catalogue entry pasted on front flyleaf. The title is instead suggested by the gilt title on the spine of the nice 19th c. 3/4 brown morocco binding.  Auguste-Xavier Leprince (1799-1826), "was the son and pupil of the painter and lithographer Anne-Pierre and the elder brother of the painters Robert-Leopold (1800-47) and Gustave (1810-37)... His numerous Paris street scenes usually depicted some well-known contemporary events." (Grove).  They are similar to some of the satirical plates of this rare suite of 12 caricatures of Harlequin as a Character just after the French Revolution. The author and the printer, who preferred to remain anonymous, were not confident in French censorship laws. Her are the headlines of the titles, which are usually followed by a line of explication: 1791. Columbine délaisée. - 1795. L'Orateur Populaire. - 1795. Le Directorien.  - 1799.  Le 18 Brumaire. - 1800.  Le Grenadier des Consuls.  - 1808. Le Chambellan. - 1814. Le Marquis de Bergame. - 1815. Le Champ de Mai. - 1820. Tartufe. - 1823. Le Diner. - 1825. La Clôture. - 1826. Le Congréganiste.  In fact, not only Arlecchino, but many other characters of the Commedia dell'Arte as Colombina, Pulcinella, Balanzone, are involved. Who could be the Marquis de Bergame in plate 7, as Arlecchino was the lazy servant of a master from Bergamo? A nice copy, some plates are printed on a slightly tuned and shorter paper.