François Descerpz: 'Recueil de la diversité des habit...', Paris, Richard Breton, 1567

8vo.: 125-[1] pp. 119 woodcuts.

Full title: Recueil de la diversité des habits, qui sont de present en usage, tant es pays d'Europe, Asie, Affrique et Isles sauuages, Le tout fait apres le naturel.

Third edition, with the Breton imprint, of this rare costume book. Breton's first edition of 1562 is cited by Colas as THE FIRST KNOWN WORK ON COSTUME. The costume figures are so inspired with imaginative life and visual humor and vitality as to immediately recall the illustrated Pantagruel once ascribed to Rabelais, printed in 1565 by the same printer. Colas maintains that François Descerpz, whose name appears in the dedication to Henri de Bourbon, is the author of the descriptive verses. The woodcuts show figures in costume, printed one to a page and with descriptive verses below. "Among the more remarkable subjects may be the Scots and the Brazilians. Another reference to America is with Le Singe Debout (found near Peru). There are also three grotesque figures resembling those in the Songes Drolatiques de Pantagruel, which was published also by R. Breton in 1565" (Fairfax Murray). According to Borba de Moraes, the "The plates of the Brazilian man and woman are of the greatest importance for the history of Brazilian iconography. They are one of the first likenesses of the Brazilian Indian, and are evidently very faithful" (Borba de Moraes II:259).

Ref.:

- Brunet IV:1147; Colas II, 2496; Fairfax Murray French 478; Mortimer French 453; Hiler p. 233; Lipperheide Aa5.