BARDWELL (Thomas). The Practice of Painting and Perspective Made Easy: In which is contained, the Art of Painting in Oil, with the Method of Colouring, Under the Heads of First Painting, or Dead-Colouring; Second Painting; Third or Last Painting; Painting Back-Grounds; On Copying; Drapery-Painting; Landscapre-Painting; and A new, short, and familiar Account of the Art of Perspective, illustrated with Copper-Plates, engraved by Mr. Vivares. London: Printed by S. Richardson; For the Author, 1756. First edition, 4to, v, [1], 64, [2]pp., with terminal imprimatur leaf, 6 engraved plates, Bardwell's copyright signature to title verso. [Bound with:] KIRBY (Joshua) Dr. Brook Taylor's Method of Perspective Made Easy, Both in Theory and Practice. Being an attempt to make the Art of Perspective easy and familiar; to Adapt it intirely to the Arts of Design; and to make it an entertaining Study to any Gentleman who shall chuse to polite an Amusement. Ipswich: Printed by W. Craighton, for the Author, 1755. Second edition, 2 parts in one, [4], iv, xvi, 78; [2], 84, [1]pp., with list of subscribers (Hogarth 6 copies) and directions to binder leaf, engraved frontispiece after Hogarth, 51 engraved plates. [Bound with:] KIRBY (Joshua) Dr. Brook Taylor's Method of Perspective, Compared with the Examples lately publish'd on this Subject as Sirigatti's, by Isaac Ware, Esq; Being A Parallel between those two Methods of Perspective. In which the superior Excellence of Taylor's is shewn by self-evident Principles, or simple Inspection. Illustrated with above forty examples on Copper Plates; and the whole Drawn and Engraved by Mr. Kirby, Designer in Perspective to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; and Author of a Book, entitled Dr. Brook Taylor's Method of Perspective made Easy, &c.1755

London: Printed for the Author, First edition, 4to, [4], vii, [1], 35, [1]p., with half-title, 7 engraved plates (one folding) showing 37 examples of perspective. Together 3 works in one, 4to (255 x 205 mm), contemporary mottled calf, spine tooled in gilt in compartments, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, a fine copy A very good collection of works devoted to perspective and painting which were highly influential during the second half of the eighteenth century. Thomas Bardwell (1704-1767), a portrait painter and copyist from Norwich, who signed the work in order to prevent piracy. Joshua Kirby (1716-1774) was tutor to the Prince of Wales (later George III) on the subject of perspective and fortifications. He was a friend of Hogarth's who contributed the famous frontispiece of warped perspective. Provenance: Engraved bookplate of François-Jean-Joseph Mols (1722-1790), Belgian collector and bibliophile.