Recueil des Scènes Familiéres, et de Société de Paris

Paris: n.p. [Chez Martinet], 1824. Exceedingly Scarce Familiar Scenes of Parisian Society Caught in the Wry

[SCHEFFER, Jean-Gabriel]. J.S -, PIGAL, &c, &c. Recueil des Scènes Familiéres, et de Société de Paris. Paris: n.p. [Chez Martinet], 1824.

First (only) issue, complete in three parts in one original printed wrapper (14 3/8 x 10 7/16 in; 365 x 266 mm) containing a total of twenty-one hand-colored lithographed plates signed: Chez Martinet, Lith. de Villain; numbered and captioned, with original tissue guards, and watermarked "J Whatman 1823."

The complete suite of twenty-one plates are all bound into the original printed wrappers of part 2. All edges gilt. Housed in a custom-made quarter black morocco clamshell case.

Only one institutional copy worldwide, at Yale. No copies have come to auction within the last thirty-five years. Not in Colas, Lipperheide, or Hiler. An excellent copy, the vivid hand-coloring startlingly bright and fresh, of an extremely scare collection.

The contemporary manners, customs, and costumes of Parisian society in typical scenes, illustrated with great charm and wry,understated humor by Swiss genre painter and lithographer Jean Gabriel Scheffer (1797-1876), who studied with Regnault and was a friend of Corot, Aligny, and Léopold Robert. His work was shown at the Salon de Paris beginning in 1822; his reputation as a designer of many wryly humorous lithographs, typically signed "J.S.," was firm. (See Benezit Vol. 9, p.354). Closely associated with printer-publisher Chez Martinet and lithographer Villain, Scheffer also created Scènes de jeunes gens (1825), Ce qu'on dit et ce qu'on pense (1829), and Petits travers (1830) with them.

Première Partie:
1. 8 heures du soir - signed J.S.
2. 8 heures du matin - signed J.S.
3. Comme on l'écoute - signed J.S.
4. Que je vous y'reprenne... - signed J.S.
5. La Confidence - signed J.S.
6. Il m'a fait des traits ma chère! - unsigned
7. Faut lui répondre... signed J.S.

Seconde Partie:
8. Derniers instans d'une demoiselle - signed J.S.
9. Dépêche-toi donc, n'y aura plus de places - unsigned
10. Dieux! si un homme me battait! - unsigned
11. ´A-ton été bien sage? - unsigned
12. Un Cabinet - le dîner dans une heure - signed J.S.
13. Ça serait joli en blouze... - signed J.S.
14. Surtout n'allez pas la compromettre - unsigned

Troisieme Partie:
15. ´A-ton une tournure? - signed J.S.
16. Le jour de la blanchisseuse - signed J.S.
17. La fin de Décembre - signed J.S.
18. Me soupçonner, moi!! - signed J.S.
19. A belle l'air gamain! - signed J.S.
20. D'ou diable sait-elle tout cela? - signed J.S.
21. On ne passe pas sans payer - signed J.S.