BOUCHARDON, Édmé || HUQUIER, Gabriel. Apollon et Les Muses, dessinés par Ed. Bouchardon, sculp. du Roi. Gravés et dédiés à Mre. Gabriel Bernard de Rieux ... par ... Huquier. 1739.

Rare and complete first edition.

"Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762) was celebrated in his time as an exceptional artist," Bouchardon must have been a great man, "said the collector Pierre Jean Mariette," because he enjoyed all his reputation during his life." As a sculptor, he was nicknamed "the new Phidias", the modern equivalent of the greatest artist of ancient Greece, and as a draftsman he was considered one of the best in Europe. Historians of art have not changed today, Bouchardon being still considered one of the most creative and fascinating artists of the 18th century French, the one who played a decisive role in the transition from rockery to neoclassicism. "
This quote comes from the preface of the catalog of the exhibition "Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762), une idée du beau", which took place in 2016, at the Louvre, and was written by Mr. J-L. Martinez ( President and director of the Louvre) and Mr.T. Potts (director of the J. Paul Getty Museum).

It perfectly illustrates the genius of the artist. This collection of engravings, is cited in the chronology of the artist's works, in the catalog of the Louvre exhibition (p. 415).

The engravings represent the god of Music and Love Apollo, followed by his muses Calliope, Clio, Erato, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsicore, Euterpe, Polimnia and Urania.
The genius of the artist is illustrated, here, with balanced compositions, the detail of the draperies, the vigor but also the softness of the figures. They perfectly illustrate Neoclassical style and Bouchardon's maner, as a sculptor.

This collection of engravings also shows his interest in the diffusion of his works, with the collaboration of the publisher and engraver Gabriel Huquier.
He was an engraver and publisher (1695-1772) specializing in prints. He is the one who engraved and published the greatest number of prints from Bouchardon's drawings, more than a hundred.
The engravings were not intended for the making of sculptures, but were drawings intended for a diverse audience such as artists, amateurs and collectors (as Mr. Gabriel Bernard de Rieux, cited on the title page).

Very fine copy.