2 vols. 4to. Contemporary French calf, triple gilt fillet (spine little worn), 1786.
First edition of the complete works of Mengs to be translated into French, here in the translation of Hendrik Jansen. Mengs was an important 18th century artist, of German extraction, who spent much of his working life in Rome and was a close friend of Wincklemann. His many works on the theory of art gained high praise and are considered by Cicognara to be full of sound judgments. One gathering in second volume very browned, but elsewhere only occasional light foxing.