(Bois de Vincennes)OUVRIÉ, Justin.   EMBELLISSEMENTS DU BOIS DE VINCENNES.   Exécutés D'Après Les Ordres De L'Empereur. Dessins faits d'après nature par Justin Ouvrié, photographiés par Mr. Jarrot.       Paris: chez l'Auteur, n.d. (ca   1863).          A rare set of views depicting the Bois de Vincennes shortly after its opening to the public in 1860. Under the supervision of Haussmann, the park was created by Alphand beginning in 1857 on a large site that had once been hunting grounds for the king. Napoleon III gave it to the city of Paris in 1860. It was laid out in the "English" style with picturesque paths and three lakes. Ouvrié painted a series of views of the park during the three years after it opened to the public. He then commissioned the Parisian photographer Jarrot to reproduce them for publication. The forty plates show scenery and buildings throughout the park. Many are signed with dates from 1861 to 1863. The photographic plates, which vary slightly in size but typically measure 15 x 24 cm, were mounted on large sheets with printed captions and sold loose in portfolio. Complete sets are rare. OCLC, COPAC and KVK locate no copies outside of France; CCFr locates only three copies of what may be a later issue, each with only 39 plates. The present copy is inscribed in pencil on the first leaf: "à mon bien cher et vieil ami E. Blanc / Justin Ouvrié".   Folio (53.7 x 36 cm); cover sheet + 40 photographic plates mounted on heavy sheets.            Contemporary half-morocco with marbled boards, rubbed and gently worn at extremities; title and plates mounted on stubs; foxing in margins of several plates, but images generally clean and free of fading. $2,000.00

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