BLAEU (Willem and Jan). Théâtre des États de son altesse royale le duc de Savoie, Prince de Piémont, Roy de Cypre. Volume I: Containing Piedmont, the city of Turin, and neighbouring areas. - Volume II: Containing Savoye. The Hague, Adrian Moetjens, 1700. 2 vols. large in-folio, mounted on tabs, gilt vellum with slight overlap, framing and scrolls of palms at the corners, large central finial decorated with an armillary sphere, smooth spine decorated, gilt edges (Binding of the period). First French edition of the monumental Theatrum Sabaudiæ. A superb copy in gilt vellum from the Royal Library of Versailles. Begun in 1657, this luxurious publication devoted to Piedmont and Savoy first appeared in Latin in Amsterdam in 1682. It therefore took almost 25 years to compile this work dedicated to the prestige of the states of the House of Savoy under Charles-Emmanuel II (1634-1675). The descriptions by Pietro Gioffredo (1629-1692) and Emanuele Tesauro (1592-1677), translated into French by Jacques Bernard, are accompanied by superb plates engraved by Decker, de Hooghe, Jan Blaeu and others, showing bird's-eye views of the Savoy region. which show bird's-eye views of major towns, panoramas, fortress plans, architecture and the remains of Aosta, Turin, Revello, Asti, Annecy, Chambéry, Evian, Thonon, Montmélian, Bonneville, La Roche, Nice, Villefranche... In total, the abundant illustrations (in accordance with the tables in fine) include 2 allegorical frontispieces, 63 culs-de-lampe (several of which are similar), 3 portraits (Victor-Amédée II, Charles-Emmanuel II and Marie-Jeanne-Baptiste de Savoie), 1 plate with the arms of the Dukes of Savoy, 1 engraved genealogical table, and 134 plates out of text (including 3 maps and 131 plates (64 and 67) of views of towns and architecture - single, double or folding, and most of which are unsigned). A superb copy, in its first binding, of royal provenance: Bibliothèque du Roi à Versailles, then département des Estampes, according to a handwritten note at the time and repeated on the first endpaper of each volume: "Des livres aportés de Versailles par M. Bignon et remis au département des estampes par Mr Le Fèvre le 27 août 1746." Abbé Jean-Paul Bignon (1662-1743), a member of the Académie française and President of the Académie des Sciences, was Master of the King's Library and then Keeper of the King's Library from 1719; his influential action led to the enrichment of the collections and their organisation into departments (printed matter, manuscripts, medals and prints). [The "Mr Le Fèvre" mentioned here cannot be the orientalist Lefèvre de Villebrune (1732-1809), director of the Bibliothèque de la Nation in 1793-1795.] The volume actually belonged to the Bibliothèque nationale (stamp repeated on the titles); it was then part of an official exchange of duplicates between the Département des Estampes and the Galerie Prouté in 1976 (stamp "Bn éch. 1976" repeated). Detailed collation: Volume I, Piedmont: allegorical title-frontispiece engraved by Blooteling after G. Lairesse, title with vignette, portrait of Victor-Amédée II by Gunst after Abbé Bourdin, 2 ff. epistle, one plate with large heraldic coat of arms of the Dukes of Savoy, portrait of Charles-Emmanuel II of Savoy after Nanteuil, one f. of dedication, portrait of Marie-Jeanne-Baptiste de Savoie engraved by Nanteuil after Laurent du Sour, one f. of dedication, 4 leaves of dissertation, plate "Table généalogique de la Maison royale de Savoie", 129 pp. and (1) p. of table; 23 culs-de-lampe of which several are similar, 1 map, 64 plates (of which 4 single plates, 55 double plates, 5 folding plates). Volume II, Savoie: title-frontispiece engraved by G. Valck after G. Lairesse, title with vignette, 4 introductory leaves, 183 pp. and (1) p. of table; 40 culs de lampe, several of which are similar, 2 maps, 67 plates (of which 6 single plates, 54 double plates and 7 folding plates). Remarks : Some foxing, stains and transfers. Vellum soiled, slightly stained and rubbed, trace of paper label on spine. Missing green silk ties; on the back covers, small indentation at the level of 2 ties. Bibliography: Peter Van der Krogt, Koeman's Atlantes Neerlandici, vol. IV-1, 43:322 (pp. 461-467): "This French edition has the same composition as the edition with Dutch text, published by Adrien Moetjens in 1697. The text was translated by Jacques Bernard." - Brunet, V-771 - Perret, II-10487.