LOSTELNEAU, Colbert de.
Le mareschal de bataille. Contenant le maniement des armes. Les evolutions. Plusieurs bataillons, tant contre l'infanterie que contre la cavalerie. Divers ordres de batailles ...
Paris, Toussainct Quinet (printed by Estienne Migon), 1647. Folio. With 48 full-page engraved plates of French infantry-men exercising with musket (35) and pike (13), after the models of Jacques de Gheyn, 400 full-page (or larger folding) woodcut diagrams of battle formations, all printed in red and black, some also in yellow, with troops represented by red and black dots and a few smaller woodcut illustrations. Dark brown gold-tooled calf (ca. 1700?). XII, 459 pp.
€ 6,500
First edition of a practical manual for use of the French army commanders, composed by the French Marshall and Commander of the French Royal Guards by order of Louis XIV, who wanted to establish a strictly uniform military science for his whole army. Jähns curtly mentions the work (rather chauvinisticly) as an imitation of Wallhausen's works, which may be partly true as far as basic military principles are concerned, but for its numerous practical applications, and especially for its rich illustration of 17th century French army tactics, Lostelneau's work stands on its own for its original contributions to the documentation of 17th-century military practice. It is also of special interest as an example of early colour printing in books, with no less than 400 colour printed plates. Intended at the time as a purely practical aid, the arrays of coloured dots in patterns of various symmetries can now also be appreciated as rather modernistic decorative art.
Restoration to foot margin of title-page, a few leaves slightly browned or waterstained, but otherwise in good condition. Binding slightly rubbed, with minor damage to the spine and edges. Magnificent, thorough and well-illustrated manual documenting mid-17th-century French military practice, and a feast of decorative coloured patterns for the modern eye. Jдhns, p. 1293; Lipperheide 2080; Sloos, Warfare 10003.
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