P. H. dHancarville. Complete Collection of Antiquities

Antiquarian, archaeologist, vulcanologist, and envoy to the British Embassy&,nbsp,in Naples, Sir&,nbsp,William Hamilton&,nbsp,(1731–1803) was a leading European figure of his time. Though the romance between his wife Lady Emma Hamilton and Horatio Nelson tends to eclipse Sir William’s own activities, his work as a scientist and a classicist made major contributions to the study of Pompei, Herculaneum, and Mt Vesuvius.As an expert in ancient art, Hamilton also built up an&,nbsp,invaluable collection of ancient Greek vases, subsequently sold to the British Museum in London in 1772. Before the pieces were shipped off to England, Hamilton commissioned Pierre-François Hugues d'Hancarville, an adventurous connoisseur and art dealer, to document the vases in words and images. The resulting catalog, published in four volumes and known as&,nbsp,Les Antiquités d'Hancarville, represents a&,nbsp,neoclassical masterpiece. Never before had ancient vases been represented with such meticulous detail and sublime beauty.With this reprint, TASCHEN revives d'Hancarville’s masterful catalog for a contemporary audience, reproducing in exacting detail the same pristine images that sparked&,nbsp,Europe's love affair with the classical style.