LA GUERINIÈRE, François Robichon de.- Ecole de cavalerie, contenant la connoissance, l'instruction, et la conservation du cheval.- A Paris: Jacques Collombat, 1733.- [8], 276, [8] p.: 1 portada gravada, [24] gravuras; 44 cm.- E., First folio edition of a classic work in the field of equestrian art, considered one of the most beautiful French editions of the 18th century (the first two, small format, were published between 1729 and 1731, this being the third). François Robichon de la Guérinière (1688-1751), recognized as the founder of the French riding school, began his activity as a squire to the Count d'Armagnac who, in 1715, commissioned him to found an equestrian academy in Paris. From 1730 until his death, with his brother Pierre as a partner, he directed the Académie des Tuilleries, having as patron Prince Charles de Lorraine, chief-squire of King Louis XV. The edition is illustrated with an engraved title, representing the education of Achilles (with the bust of Louis XV in a medallion) and 24 intaglio engravings, three of which are double, 12 full-page (separately) and eight in the text (full page, with text on verso). It also includes three large allusive vignettes (140x235 mm), one at the beginning of each of the three parts of the work, opened in copper plate by the best engravers of the time (Cars, Aveline, Cocart, Audran, Lebas, Beauvais et Desplaces), according to originals by Charles Parrocel and Antoine Coquart. Copy slightly handled, with some imperfections, namely: lower outer corner of the first four leaves with signs of handling and fungus; first double engraving with slight (tidal) stains; occasional smaller stains. It is however complete and solid and generally clean, with all the prints well placed. Ex-libris of D. Diogo de Bragança, VIII Marquis of Marialva. Contemporary binding, full sheepskin, a little worn with the heraldic book stamps of the House of Lafões, gold engraved at the centre of the covers (probably gauffered later). Keep the original endpapers on marbled paper. Cohen, 588. Graesse, IV, p. 79. Brunet, III, 769. Mennessier de La Lance (Bibliographie hippique), II, p. 27.
