La Sainte Bible, contenant l'Ancien et la Nouveau Testament, traduite en François sur la Volgate per M. Le Maistre de Saci, ornée de 300 figures gravées par les dessins de M. Maillier

12 volumes. 8vo.  230 x 150 mm., [9 ¼ x 6 inches].  Illustrated with 300 engraved plates; 204 [Old Testament] and 96 [New Testament].  Collates complete, both pagination and illustrations agree with Cohen-De Ricci's collation on p. 935.  Bound by Bradel, Rue Pierre Sarrazin 8, in full blue straight grain morocco, raised bands, gilt spine, two borders on each board; all edges gilt.  Some minor rubbing to heads of bindings and some very minor foxing to the preliminary leaves.  With the bookplate of Eugenio Scalfari, founder of the post war Roman newspaper, La Repubblica, and the binder's ticket of Bradel.  Near fine copy.

Important illustrated edition of the Holy Bible printed and illustrated over a fifteen year period.  This enormous project, printed in twelve volumes and illustrated with 300 engraved plates, was begun in the same year as the taking of the Bastille and continued until Napoleon's coronation in Notre Dame Cathedral in December of 1804.  In many respects it reflects the epoch of the French Revolution itself by capturing the narrative of the Bible with all of its conflicts and drama in engravings in a neo-classical style by Pierre Clément Marillier (1740-1808) and Nicolas-André Monsiau (1754-1837).

Marillier first studied painting in Dijon and came to Paris as a twenty year old to continue his education in the arts.  In order to make a living he turned to field of book illustration and became one of France's most renown illustrators of the late 18th century.  His first major work was the 1773 edition of Durat's Fables followed in 1775 with an edition of Berquin's Idlles.  He was know for his ability to produce numerous illustrations for a printed book and maintain continuity in tone and character of the imagery over a long period of time.  In his work on the French illustrated book Gordon Ray summarizes the work of Marillier in this way:

"Marillier was among the most accomplished and abundant of 18th century illustrators.  His work is seen at its best in his small head pieces and tail pieces.  He was a thorough professional, however, and in his extended series of plates for Le cabinet des fées  and particularly :La Sainte Bible, he maintained a high level of proficiency.  Nearly all of his designs are characterized by grace, liveliness, and firmness of drawing."

Numerous engravers were enlisted to produce the images for this set of books and it represents a veritable history of French engraving during the last decade of the century.  The engravers who are represented in this work include Armond, Baquoy, Bosc, Courbe, Dambrun, Dulaunay, Delignon, Delvaux, Dupréel, Duval, de Ghendt, Giraud jeunne, Halbou, Hubert, Hulk, Lebeau, Patas, Petit, Ponce, Triére, Varin,  and Viguet.  The engraved work of Dambrun and Delvaux are especially prominent here with 47 and 38 engravings respectively. 

This set is also distinguished by the bindings by Alexis-Pierre Bradel, a French binder working for the most part in Germany during the second half the 18th century.  Bradel returned to Paris during the revolutionary period and set up shop on the rue Pierre Sarrizin in the 6th arrondissemont .  Bradel is known for his technique of refining the hollow backed spine, which allowed the bindings to fully open.  The example we have here is bound in full blue straight-grain morocco and each volume opens easily and facilitates easy access to the engravings. 

Henri Cohen, Seymour de Ricci, Guide de l'Amateur de Livres a Gravures du XVIIIe Siècle, p. 935.  Gordon Ray, The Art of the French Illustrated Book 1700-1914, pp. 81-86.  Edith Diehl, Bookbinding its Background and Techniques, pp. 182, 256.