(1556-55). DU CHOUL (Guillaume). DISCOURS DE LA RELIGION DES - Lot 286

(1556-55). DU CHOUL (Guillaume). DISCOURS DE LA RELIGION DES ANCIENS ROMAINS... ILLUSTRATED WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF MEDALS, & SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL FIGURES Lyon, Guillaume Rouille, 1556-55 In-folio of 312-[56] pages, one folded plate, brown calf (contemporary binding). First edition, much more beautiful than the reprints that followed, and one of Lyon's finest books of the 16th century. Its illustrations, attributed by Baudrier to Pierre Eskrich, include 554 REPRODUCTIONS OF MEDALS AND 47 miscellaneous woodcuts, 5 of which are full-page and "largely executed". The title page bears the coat of arms of Guillaume Du Choul, humanist and archaeologist from Lyon, royal advisor and bailly of the Dauphiné mountains, who dedicated his work to Monsieur d'Urfé, the father of the famous novelist. Next page: - DISCOURS SUR LA CASTRAMETATION ET DISCIPLINE MILITAIRE DES ROMAINS - DES BAINS ET ANTIQUES EXERCITATIONS GRECQUES ET ROMMAINES. Lyon, G. Rouille, 1555. 2 parts of 55-1bl. and 20-[5] leaves. 37 FIGURES for the first book and 6 figures for the second. Hinges split and spine missing, some rings and foxing. The margins of the second part are clumsily consolidated (Baudrier IX, 229-221) (Mortimer, French, 180 and 181) (USTC 1132 and 29533).