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RULES FOR DRAWING CARICATURAS

   

GROSE, Francis.  RULES FOR DRAWING CARICATURAS: WITH AN ESSAY ON COMIC PAINTING.

London: S. Hooper, 1788. 8vo. Contemporary blue wrappers. 40 pages, 4 engraved plates. First edition. [O'Neal, 52].

The first edition of an uncommon work that went through several editions by 1802, including one in French.  This scarce first edition is not in the library of the Royal Academy and is untraced in auction records.  Grose's system of drawing caricatures is based on the exaggeration of the parts of the body and their relation to one another.  He produced fourteen published works that feature several major antiquarian works listed in the two-page advertisement in the back.  The second edition of 1791 was recommended by Thomas Jefferson for the newly established library for the University of Virginia.  Occasional discreet blind-stamp to some pages.  Recased in contemporary sugar paper wrappers, else very good.

 

$1,850.00