Histoire archeologique descriptive et graphique de la Sainte-Chapelle du Palais by DECLOUX, Alfred Pierre Hubert & DOURY. Architectes - 1857

Paris: Felix Malteste et Cie, 1857. First Edition. Built by King Louis IX on the Île de la Cité in Paris between 1239 -1248 to house Christ's Crown of Thorns and relics of the Virgin and other saints, Sainte Chapelle suffered great destruction during the French Revolution. At the Salon of 1835, a young architect by the name of Jean Baptiste Lassus submitted two watercolours rendering Sainte Chapelle as it would have appeared in the fifteenth century. Awarded a second tier gold medal, Lassus's paintings highlighted the degradation of the once gothic masterpiece, inspiring interest in its restoration. Chief architect Felix Duban and Lassus began work on the chapel in 1836 forging a new scientific 'archeological' style of restoration. "Lorsqu'on fit des recherches, avant d'entreprendre les travaux de restauration, on retrouva les traces de l'ornementation primitive : les arabesques des colonnes, les verrières des consoles qui supportent les statues des apôtres, les étoiles d'or, sur fond bleu, de la voûte, la presque totalité des vitraux,.." (While doing research, before undertaking the work of restoration, traces of primitive ornamentation were found: the arabesques of the columns, the canopies of the consoles that support the statues of the apostles, the golden stars, on a blue background, of the vault, almost all the stained-glass windows...) Decloux & Doury, preface. Taking over from Duban, Lassus became the chief architect of Sainte-Chapelle in 1849. This volume illustrates the chapel as restored by the architect J.B.A. Lassus. The chromolithograph plates show decorative panels, the design of interior borders, statues, murals and stained glass windows, highlighted in gold. The five black & white engraved plates show cross sections, a view of the exterior, and plans of the upper and lower chapels. First edition: folio, twenty chromolithograph plates and five engraved plates mounted on India paper, sound copy in quarter morocco, cloth, gilt title and decoration, binding rubbed.