One Hundred Fables, Original And Selected Embellished With Two Hundred Eighty Engravings on Wood (Second Edition) & Fables Original And Selected (Second Series), Illustrated By Two Hundred and Eighty Engravings On Wood

London: Geo. Lawford & John Murray, 1833. Second & First editions. Hardcover. Contemporary crimson cloth decorated in blind, backstrips elaborately decorated in floral gilt motifs. Very good. 2 Vols.. 272 , 248 pages. 20 x 12.5 cm. The illustrations, "the greater portion of which are of my own invention," with his headpiece designs for each one and with initial letters and tailpieces by William Harvey, pupil of Thomas Bewick." James Northcote was one of a number of prominent painters of the 18th century. Today Northcote is chiefly admired for his portraits, though his paintings of animals found favor in his lifetime. In his later years he devoted an increasing amount of time to history paintings, including some scenes from Shakespeare s history plays which were exhibited in Boydell s Shakespeare Gallery. The Second Series of the Fables was published posthumously, Both volumes with Index To The Engravings. Small owner stamp of Rev. J. Troy and small ex-library stamp top right corner of title page, interior contents fresh and bright, nicks to backstrip extremities.