Bonafous, Matthieu | The most authoritative reference on the cultivation of corn

Bonafous, Matthieu

Histoire naturelle, agricole et économique du maïs. Paris: Madame Huzard nèe Vallat-la-Chapelle, printer & publisher; and Turin: Bocca, 1836

Folio (540 x 350). Half-title, wood-engraved portrait vignette of the dedicatee, Henri-Alexandre Tessier, 11 wood-engraved vignettes, 15 stipple-engraved plates after Redouté and others, printed in color and finished by hand, 5 uncolored engraved plates by and after Le Blanc; early marginal ink annotation to p. 17, foxing to text leaves and Plate I, a few faint spots to remaining plates. Original publisher's red paper-covered boards, flat spine gilt-lettered, "Librairie D'Agriculture de Madame Huzard" slip tipped onto front pastedown; extremities rubbed, one or two scratches, fading to lower board, joints starting.

First edition of a rare work on maize. 

Matthieu Bonafous was a French botanist born in Lyon, specializing in technical agriculture, and with a particular interest in corn. For decades, the present work was regarded as the most authoritative reference on the cultivation of corn. Indeed, even Charles Darwin saw it as a seminal work. Through it, Bonafous was able to demonstrate that corn could adapt to inclement conditions, and was ultimately capable of growing in sand (as in New Jersey), humid climates (such as Colombia's), or in cold weather (like the Apennine Mountains).

"This rare work is probably the most sumptuous monograph of the 19th century on Corn (Zea mays)…[.] One of the twelve plates is by Redouté…[.] It was executed by Redouté when he was heavily in debt, and it may be presumed that his friend Bonafous gave him the commission in an effort to be of help. As Stafleu points out, it is the last technical botanical painting by Redouté. At the time this work was prepared, more than twenty cultivars of maize were grown in Europe" (MacPhail).

An attractive, uncut copy.

REFERENCE:

Pritzel 966; MacPhail, Redouteana 23; Nissen BBI 198; Sabin 6263; Sitwell & Blunt 51

PROVENANCE:

Monsieur Mongie (original printed and manuscript receipt from the Paris publisher's, dated 1836, tipped onto front pastedown) — Christie's London, 21 March 2000, lot 12 (undesignated consignor)