The excellency of the pen and pencil, exemplifying the uses of them in the most exquisite and mysterious arts of drawing, etching, engraving, limning, painting in oyl, washing of maps & pictures. Also the way to cleanse any old painting, and to preserve the colours. Collected from the writings of the ablest masters both ancient and modern, as Albert Durer, P. Lomantius, and divers others. Furnished with divers cuts in copper, being copied from the best masters, and here inserted for examples for the learner to practice by. A work very useful for all gentlemen and other ingenious spirits, either artificers or others.

London: printed by Thomas Ratcliff and Thomas Daniel, for Dorman Newman and Richard Jones, and are to be sold at their shops in Little Britain, near the Lame Hospital Gate, at the Chyrurgeons Arms, and at the Golden Lyon 1668                                          $3,100

Octavo: 15 X 9 cm. Signatures: a8 A-H8. Including an engraved title frontspiece. One folding engraving, as well as three double paged engravings. and seven full page. The frontispiece illustration has imprint: London Printed for Rich. Jones & Dorman Newman and are to be sold at their shops at the Golden Lyon and Chrurgions Armes in Little Brittaine.  First edition.  This copy is rather amaturishly bound in modern boards.

The anonymous author describes techniques of drawing the human figure, and the phyiscal and chemical techniques used in producing ‘realistic’ renderings.  Most like not made for active or professional Artist rather it was most likely written for an aristocratic audience [Ingenious Spirits, either Artificers or others.], with plenty of spare time and the means to contemplate beauty.  Certainly, this book was aimed at both Women and Men.  This manual emphasizes that art is an intellectual endeavor.  The text is based in part on the writings of Albrecht Dürer and Hans Holbein. The title page introduces it as “A Work very useful for all Gentlemen, and other Ingenious Spirits, either Artificers or others.

ESTC,; R011233; Wing; E-3779A ; Library of Congress. Lessing J. Rosenwald collection,; 1513