Album of Pencil Drawings of the French Conquest of Algeria in 1844.

Light card wrappered landscape 8vo. album, c.6" x 9", containing twelve mounted roundels, 4½" diameter, with pencil sketches of scenes from the campaign culminating in the battle of Isly, and the bombardment of Tangier and Mogadir, each captioned in ink in a neat copper-plate hand. Some light foxing and browning, some of the leaves marginally stained, but overall very good, the album itself is probably of later construction, the sketches themselves near contemporary. Unsigned, undated, French,

The drawings are competent, if not professional, the style dramatic and reminiscent of popular prints. Beginning with Bugeaud studying the disposition of the Adb el Kader's camp a variety of images from the Marshal's campaign are shown; the Chasseurs d'Afrique taking a standard; the rout of the camp; the famous "exploit" of Colonel Morris - who in hot pursuit of fugitives from the camp found himself isolated with five hundred Chasseurs confronting six thousand Arab cavalry. The second group of six illustrations concentrate on the naval bombardments of Tangiers and Mogadir. The Prince de Joinville is shown planning his attack; the Suffren opening fire; and the Prince leading the taking of the Forts at Mogadir.

Stock Code: 82925