The Lives of the Most Eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects (6vols)

Six volumes. 15 × 10 cm. Engraved frontispiece portraits to each volume. Contemporary half-calf over marbled boards. Spines richly tooled in gilt. Marbled edges and endpapers. Cunningham’s celebrated biographical series remains one of the most engaging and important early accounts of the achievements of the British school. Artists include Reynolds, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Romney, Blake and others. Volume I and II are second editions, the rest are first editions.

Vol I: 358 pages, Vol II: 349 pages, Vol III 367 pages, Vol IV 352 pages, Vol V: 311 Pages. VI: 322 pages

From the library of Anglican clergymen Herbert Maynard Smith (1869-1949) and J. Outram Smith (1871-1954). With their library stamp to the front endpaper of each volume.

Condition: Light rubbing and minor wear to spines; one volume with a noticeable patch of surface loss to title label. Some light rubbing to extremities, surface wear and small patches of fading to the marbled paper. Light toning to prelims. Text blocks generally clean and tight.