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French Decorative Bookbinding - Eighteenth Century

Antoine-Michel Padeloup c.1730

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Les Amours pastorales de Daphnis et Chloé Paris : J. Quillau, 1718
(see Gallica)


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On the preceding page I reproduced item No.82 from the 1972 Catalogue of Raphaël Esmerian, as well as the accompanying text. Roughly translated, part of this text reads:
.....a marvelous composition reminiscent of the Regent's copy of
Daphnis et Chloe, now in the possession of the Baron F. de Rothschild,
By a coincidence there is another example of Daphnis et Chloe, in a decorative binding, on display at Gallica the digital section of the Bibliothèque nationale de France. This binding is noted by the BN as being attributed to Antoine-Michel Padeloup. It is important to point out the illustrations in this work are attributed to the Régent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans! Below is the accompanying Gallica text for this binding, wherein Padeloup is described as a bookbinder in the "entourage" of the Régent, Philippe d'Orléans: "Antoine-Michel Padeloup (1685-1758), relieur de l'entourage du régent Philippe d'Orléans".

Le livre qu'illustra le Régent, dans une reliure mosaïquée attribuée à Antoine-Michel Padeloup

Auteur - Padeloup, Antoine-Michel (1685-1758) [Relieur]
Titre - Reliure mosaïquée à décor à répétition attribuée à Antoine-Michel Padeloup.
CrÈation / Publication - [Paris], Ca 1730
Description - Reliure : maroquin citron mosaïqué de maroquins noir et rouge à décor doré, gardes de papier doré, tranches dorées sur marbrure.
Notes- Sur : Longus. Les Amours pastorales de Daphnis et Chloé avec figures. Trad. Par Jacques Amyot. [Paris : J. Quillau, 1718]. In-8ƒ. Ouvrages, articles
Michon, L.-M. Les Reliures mosaïquées du XVIIIe siècle. Paris, 1956, nƒ 21, pl. III.
Barber, G. La Reliure. Histoire de l'édition française. Paris, 1983, t. II, p. 166-168.

Ce type de décor, très prisé des bibliophiles du temps, est dit " à répétition " parce qu'il est obtenu par la reproduction d'un même motif fondamental sur toute la surface des plats. Initiateur de ce style, Antoine-Michel Padeloup (1685-1758), relieur de l'entourage du régent Philippe d'Orléans, s'est beaucoup inspiré de certains décors de pavements ou de boiseries du début du siècle. C'est le cas sur cette reliure conÁue pour le Daphnis et Chloé illustré de planches gravées par BenoÓt Audran d'après des dessins du Régent lui-même. Le décor imite un dallage d'une parfaite régularité, fait de compartiments de maroquin noir cantonnés de petits disques de maroquin rouge et délimités par des filets dorés, le tout sur fond de maroquin citron. Un fer en forme de coquille soutenu par une spirale et deux volutes au centre de chaque compartiment renforce l'effet de luxe ordonné.

enlarged detail

Please note that all images from Gallica are subject to Copyright



In the enlarged detail reproduced above we can see the important imprint pj-20 as well as a small spiral motif which I will look at more closely on the next page, however I would like to propose here yet another binding attributed to Padeloup and connected to the Orléans family.


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Plate VI title

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The plate reproduced above is from W. Y. Fletcher's 1895 book entitled BOOKBINDING IN FRANCE. Below I reproduce Fletcher's text concerning this plate and other details, such as the possibility that this binding could have been made by Nicholas Padeloup. Also he mentions the Regent's copy of Les Amours pastorales de Daphnis et Chloé which he describes as "bearing on each cover the arms of the Duke".

Fletcher text

Below I have reproduced an important Padeloup binding found in the Rahir 1910 Catalogue Livres dans de Riches Reliures Anciennes et Modernes, as well as the item's description. This binding is part of a COLLECTION DE RELIURES EN MOSAÏQUE, and is listed as number 171d. This binding is attributed Antoine-Michel Padeloup, and we can see a close relationship in the workmanship and design that suggests that all three examples are from Padeloup's workshop. Note as well the publication date of 1734.


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Rahir item 171d text

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Below is another important Padeloup binding, item No. 89, reproduced from the 1972 Catalogue of Raphaël Esmerian, as well as the accompanying text.
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Esmerian item 89 text

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Return to Duseuil or Padeloup?


See also Antoine Michel Padeloup - Imprint Research.


Also interesting.... A Comparative study of Pointillé tools from the Atelier of Antoine-Michel Padeloup.




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