OVIDE Les Métamorphoses, en latin, traduites en françois, avec des remarques et des explications historiques par Mr. l’abbé Banier.

Cohen-de Ricci, 768; Brunet, IV, 285; Ray, p. 7 (note).

First edition of the important translation by Abbot Banier. This translation was to be the model for further editions. Copy printed on heavy paper.

This fine edition is illustrate with a frontispiece engraved by Bernard Picart, two floral decorations (repeated) on the titlepages, one vignette and one engraved letter in the introduction, and 130 larges vignettes (including 6 printed on three sheets and included into the pagination) after Le Brun, Leclere, Maas, Picart, Punt, J. Romain, Tosca, de Wit and Vandelaar, engraved by Martin and Pierre-Paul Bouche, Bouttats, Folkema, V. Gunst, Jungmann, Schenk and Wandelaar.

Cohen qualifies this edition as “magnifique ouvrage”; Brunet calls it a “belle édition, recherchée à cause des gravures dont elle est ornée” and indicates some large paper copies “quelques exemplaires en très grand papier, d’autant plus précieux qu’ils contiennent des figures de premier tirage” without giving any further details. English and Dutch editions were published the same year, illustrated with the same engravings.

Some occasional light toning, a very attractive copy.