[WILLIAM IV, Prince of Orange].
Haga Comitis illustrata; of het verheelykt en verligt 's Gravenhage: bestaende in eene naeuwkeurige verzameling van ... afbeeldingen, der aldaer te zien en geillumineerd geweest zynde decoratien en zinnebeelden, benevens de verdere vreugde-bedryven en illuminatien, ter geleegenheid der allerheughelykste verkiezinge, proclamatie en installatie van ... Willem Carel Hendrik Friso.
The Hague, Anthoni de Groot and sons, 1751. With title-page printed in red and black with woodcut arms of William IV, first page of the dedication printed in red and black (including a woodcut initial printed in red) with a large engraved armorial headpiece, 2 engravings in text, each showing the front and back of a medallion, and 116 engraved illustrations on 16 leaves.
With: (2) Nette afbeelding en ampele beschryving der eere-poorten, opgerecht by de blyde te rug komst van .... Willem Karel Hendrik Friso ... uyt Zeeland, en deszelfs intreede in 's Gravenhage, op den 6 juny 1747.
The Hague, heirs of Anthoni de Groot, 1766. Title-page with the woodcut arms of William IV, and 37 numbered illustrations on 10 engraved plates. 2 works in 1 volume. 1mo (49 x 38 cm). Contemporary boards, spine lined with cloth. [4], 24; [8] pp.
€ 1,500
First and only edition of a series of illustrations of the decorations displayed during the inauguration of William IV, Prince of Orange, who in 1747 became the Stadtholder of all the United Provinces and general and admiral of the Dutch army and navy. Together with the very rare continuation (published 15 years later), displaying the triumphal arches erected upon William IV's return to The Hague on 6 June 1747.
Around 1740 the Dutch Republic got involved in the War of the Austrian Succession, which lead to the occupation of States' Flanders (the northern part of Flanders, part of the Dutch Republic since the Eighty Years' War) by the French in 1747. This caused an enormous unrest in the Republic as this fully exposed the weakness of the Dutch defences, leading to a strong wish for restoration of the stadtholderate. When this was restored by the inauguration of William IV, it brought an end to the Second Stadtholderless Period (1702-1747).
Water stains in the margins of several leaves and the sewing a bit loose, but with most of the plates in very good condition. Spine tattered. Berlin Kat. 2962-2963; Landwehr, Splendid ceremonies 215-216; Muller, Historieplaten 3868; Praz, pp. 558-559; ad 2: STCN (3 copies).
Related Subjects:
