La Germanie. Traduite de Tacite... Avec un Nouveau Commentaire extrait de Montesquieu et des principaux publicistes; ATLAS volume only.
Paris: C. L. F. Panckoucke, 1824. First edition. The atlas volume only of M. Panckoucke's translation of the work by Tacitus, the atlas illustrating the Frenchman's views. The plates are varied; some are of classical Roman statuary, others are quite unexpected, especially the plate "Guerrier des Terres Australes" which is drawn directly from Francois Peron's "Voyages aux Terres Australes", published the same year (1824).
The letterpress, which is in French, draws attention to the similarity in coiffure and facial paint between the Australian aborigines and the Sueves and Aries, ancient peoples of Germany. The Sueves populated an area in NW Spain and Portugal. Their custom was to plait their hair and secure it with a knot. The caption to this print, drawn and engraved by Ambrose Tardieu, "Guerrier des Terres Australes, Coiffe comme les Sueves, et peint de rouge et de noir comme les Aries, peuple de la Germanie." In Peron's "Voyage" the plate is by Nicolas Petit, plate XVIII, titled "Nouvelle-Hollande Cour-Rou-Bari-Gal". The other most unusual plate is one of amber, illustrating six stones, both raw and cut as jewelry, some occluded with insect corpses.
Not found on Trove (a digital edition of the text only is available). See OCLC: 6914012 for text & atlas volume.
4to, title, 12 plates, some copper engraved, others stipple, with letterpress, with the original tissue guards. Waterstain along the bottom margin, scattered foxing. Four of the plates are beautifully colored, "Medailles Romaines (plate 7); "Guerrier des Terres Australes" (plate 8); "Le Succin" (amber, plate 11); and the map of Germany "La Germanie" by Ambrose Tardieu, 1824 (plate 12). See OCLC: 6914012 quotes the atlas has 11 plates; this atlas contains 12 plates. 19th century rebind with half red cloth and red and black marbled paper, black and gilt title label, marbled end papers. Item #21760
Price: $1,250.00