PICART (Bernard). Recueil de Lions, Dessinez d'après nature par divers Maîtres & gravez, par Bernard Picart. Divisé en six livres chacun de six feuilles. Amsterdam : Bernard Picart le Romain, 1729. - In-4 oblong, brown calf surper libris gilt on first board, spine ribbed and decorated (period binding). Rare collection of engravings by Bernard Picart (1673-1733), who chose to engrave only lions for educational purposes. He explains at the beginning of his text: "Having particularly noticed that most Painters, & even the most skilful, have very badly succeeded in representing Lions; either because they have not taken the trouble to do it from life, or because they have lacked the opportunity to do it; this has led me to do some Research on this Matter, [......] I therefore gathered together several drawings made from Nature by the most famous painters, such as Albert Dürer, Rembrand, Charles Le Brun, & others, &, as I had the opportunity to see Lions & Lionesses, of different Ages, [...] I drew some of them in various Attitudes, to serve me if need be. This little compendium seems to me (sic) quite useful to many people, who have neither the time nor the opportunity to be able to draw them from Nature, & who nevertheless, needing them every day, are obliged to draw them practically or from very inaccurate prints: this gave me the idea of engraving them, in order to share them with the public. After the title and 6 pages of text, the edition is illustrated with 43 compositions engraved by Bernard Picart on 36 leaves, beginning with a title drawn and engraved by Picart, followed by 6 series of plates engraved after Picart's own drawings or after those of Durer, Charles Le Brun, Rembrandt and Paulus Potter. The last series comprises 12 small engravings printed on 6 leaves; the first of these 12 engravings also bears the title: "Recueil de lions Dessinés d'après nature par Rembrandt et B. Picart who engraved them in 1728. Copy in contemporary binding, bearing on the first cover a contemporary gilt super-libris indicating the name of "M. Le Petit". Binding faded, hinges cracked, spine and corners missing. Bottom corner and inside pages damaged. Some foxing and soiling.