The Gentle Shepherd, a pastoral Comedy.
Glasgow. Printed by A. Foulis and sold by D. Allan. & Edinburgh. Also by J. Murray . and C. Elliot. London. 1788. F. Hardcover. 4to., 29cm, x,[2],111,[ii],17,18pp., plus frontis portrait and 12 aquatint plate illustrations by David Allan, complete with half-title, glossary, and 18 plates of engraved sheet music songs, from the ballad opera version, bound in contemporary full tree calf, gilt rules for bands and gilt decorations in the panels, crushed crimson morocco label, gilt titles, marbled endpapers, expertly rebacked, a fine copy (cgc) First illustrated edition with the acclaimed aquatint plates by the Scottish artist, engraver, plate-publisher and bookseller, David Allan, who was trained by the Foulis brothers in Glasgow. He had shown a talent for caricature, but it was his work in Rome (where he had received the advice and encouragement of Gavin Hamilton, to whom this book is dedicated), especially his carnival sketches, which augmented his growing reputation. After a period of portrait painting in London, he settled in Edinburgh in 1780 as director of the Trustees' Academy. Allan's illustrations of Ramsay's enormously popular Scottish pastoral drama (first published in 1725) much increased his popularity as an illustrator, and established his reputation as the artist of 'Scottish character'. Gaskell. The Foulis Press, 688. Rothschild 1732. Item #7320
Price: $839.98