Voyage en Abyssinie execute pendant les annees 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843 par une commission scientifique.

The complete atlas volumes of the most important work on Ethiopia.

'Increasing French interest in Ethiopia led to the despatch of an important scientific mission composed of Lefebvre, a naval officer, Petit and Quartin-Dillon, two medical doctors, and Vignaud, an artist, all of whom travelled extensively in Tegré, Bagemder, and Shawa from 1839 to 1843. The expedition visited the principal towns of Ethiopia Adwaz, Aksum, Adegrat, Chalaqot, Ankobar, Angolalah, and Gondar as well as villages markets and monasteries. The result of the mission was the most comprehensive study of the country produced up to that time' (Pankhurst).

6 text volumes (not present with this set) were issued. The first part of the very impressive plate volumes is devoted to the expedition's travels, ethnology and archaeology, and contains landscapes, portraits, weapons, etc. as well as antiquities at Aksum, Gondar, and elsewhere. Parts two and three are devoted to zoology and botany respectively.

The present is from the library of Princess Marie-Caroline, Duchesse de Berry (1798-18700), daughter of Francis I of the Two Sicilies and Archduchess Maria Clementina of Austria, at Brunnsee Palace. She was a renowned collector, patron of the arts and bibliophile with one of the most impressive private libraries of her time. Examples from her library are much prized for their generally fine condition.