‎SPEÉ Théo - Henri BOGAERTS - Marcelin LA GARDE (editors) :‎
‎L'ILLUSTRATION EUROPÉENNE - Journal Internationale de la famille (complete set of this weekly illustrated periodical - text in French).‎

‎ Bruxelles, 1870 - 1914, complete set ( all published ), bound in 44 volumes , in-folio, issues of 8 pp with minimum 4 woodcut illustrations, from year 17 (1886-1887) onwards issues of 16 pages and mostly photoreproduction illustrations. In all over 28.000 pages. Bound in 44 volumes, mostly nearly uniform half leather bindings, three volumes and the last 6 years in half cloth, some foxing at first and last leaves of some volumes, all volumes with an index bound in, except year 1912 which lacks the index and the Christmas issue. Some volumes a bit rubbed but in all in very good condition. Extremely rare complete set in fine condition of this leading belgian illustrated periodical which had, as its name announces, European ambitions and which tried to emulate the ''London Illustrated News'' and the Parisian ''L'Illustration''. The first issues (November 1870) deal e.g. with the German army invading Paris and the last issue (Nr. 33 of August 16th 1914) reports on the German army invading the Belgian town of Liège and the start of the first world war. It obviously ends when Brussels was taken by the invading Germans. During the first 15 years the periodical was illustrated by means of the classical woodcut. Artists' names include L. Clerget, V. de Doncker, A. de Neuville, Gustave Doré, A. Doms, G. Durand, J. Féret, Gerlier, D. Lancelot, J. Lorain, Oberlander, Pannemaker, E. Puttaert, Sahib, F. Thelen, H. Van der Hecht, Van Kuyck, Wappers, Portaels, Brown, Dansaert... In the first issue of year 16 (November 1885) the editor announces the introduction of new lithographic methods. From year 17 onwards (1886) most of the illustrations are based on photographs and photographical reproduction. At the end of the 19th century the annual special Christmas issues are illustrated with colour printing. The illustrations comprise views of Belgian buildings, landscapes, political events, art reproductions but also international events, wars, demonstrations, voyages, art, etc. A very interesting iconographical survey of the waning Belle Epoque and 19th-century European culture soon to be buried on the battlefields of the Somme, Verdun and Ypres.‎

Reference : 21516

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