57. INCARVILLE (Pierre LE CHÉRON d’)
Arts, métiers et cultures de la Chine, représentés dans une suite de gravures, exécutees d’apres les dessins originaux envoyes de Pekin, accompagnes des explications donnees par les missionnaires français et étrangers, pensionnés par louis xiv, louis xv et louis xvi […] – Art du vernis. Paris, Nepveu, 1814-1815. 2 parts in 1 vol. in-12° (143 x 92 mm.): - “Art du vernis”, 1814: 84 pp., - “Papier de bambou”, 1815 : 71 pp. ; with 11 + 13 double-page coloured plates. Original publisher's printed wrapper (uncut), preserved in a green morocco box.
First edition of this attractive work detailing the arts, trades and cultures of China, accompanied by 24 handcoloured engraved plates executed from the original drawings sent back by the Jesuit Pierre d'Incarville during his stay in China. Pierre Le Chéron d’Incarville (1706-1757), French Jesuit and amateur botanist joined the China Mission in 1740. He received a botanical education from Bernard de Jussieu, Superintendent of the Jardin Royal des Plantes (Paris).
D’Incarville entered China via Macao and traveled from South China to Peking in North China where he settled. During his trip through China he had the opportunity to see the agricultural practices and when he was in the Lower Yangtze Region, he observed the Chinese varnish tree (Rhus verniciflua). So, he knew well lacquer-making techniques and bamboo paper. D'Incarville described and sent back seeds of several plants then unknown in Europe as a correspondent of the Jardin des Plantes. During his stay he was also actively involved in publishing scholarly material on China. This work completes Breton's La Chine en miniature, also published by Nepveu, in 1811-1812.