Jeux historiques des rois de France, reines renommées, géographie et métamorphose
By: par feu M.r J. Desmarests ... ; gravez par Do. [sic] la Bella ...
Contributors: Della Bella, Stefano, 1610-1664; Le Comte, Florent
Publisher: Ches F. Le Conte, rue St. Jacques au Chifre Royal
Published: 1698
Place of publication: A Paris
Language: fre
Number of pages: 92
Subjects: Portraits; Kings and rulers; Mythology, Classical, in art
Other titles: Jeu des rois de France.; Jeu de la métamorphose.; Jeu des fables.; Jeu de la mythologie.
Notes: Baudi di Vesme, A.  Peintre-graveur italien, 489-541, 648-687

Ortolani, T.  Della Bella, 489-541

Getty copy comprises plates only for 2 of the 4 card games prepared by Jean Desmarets at Cardinal Mazarin's command for the young Louis XIV's pleasure and education. The two games present are the Jeu des fables, and the Jeu des rois de France. Editions appeared in 1644, 1664 and 1698. Title supplied is that of the ed. of 1698, as cited in Vesme.

Prints of the Jeu des fables (also known as Jeu de la mythologie, or Jeu de la métamorphose) are numbered 1-52 in MS at upper right-hand corners, and are bound in order by suit. They are preceded by a title leaf, from which the place and publisher have been taken, with date from Vesme. The prints are generally in Ortolani's 5th state. The plates for individual prints have been cut apart & printed separately, the identifying marks of the 4 suits have been supplied, and non-face cards have been numbered 1-10. However only Jupiter has been given the letter R to indicate his rank in the game of "roi" as described by Ortolani, the other face cards remaining unspecified.

Thirty-nine prints of the Jeu des rois de France are present from a total of 40, the title leaf being absent. The prints are bound in no discernable order, but are numbered 53-92 in MS at upper right-hand corners ('74' omitted). Those numbered 55 and 56 have been hand colored. In general the prints are in Vesme's 3rd state. The plates have been cut apart & printed separately, but the image of Louis XIV as a child has not been replaced with another depicting a statue of him as a man, as in 3rd-4th states.

Binding: early black goatskin. Boards and spine compartments outlined with single fillets in blind. Title in gilt on spine: ROYS. Edges of boards gilt rolled. Page edges gilt. Doublures of black goatskin, edges roll-tooled in gilt, centers stamped in gilt with a single fleur de lys surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Signatures of Jean Baptiste Hyacinthe de Verthamon, one of them dated 1721; cf. Jean-Baptiste de Verthamon, Bishop of Pamiers (1646-1735). Coat of arms painted in color on 3rd front free endpaper verso of Elisabeth-Charlotte de Bavière (1652-1722), mother of Philippe d'Orléans, regent of France; see E. Olivier, Reliures armoriées, 2564.