In-4°, (ii)+vi+64 pp and 6 engraved plates. Modern half calf in the style of the period. Ex-libris Thomas Barrett of Lee Esq.
First edition, a rare book, complete with the errata slip. 'A book which was influential during the second half of the eighteenth century was Thomas Bardwell’s The practice of painting, which was devoted to oil painting and perspective and was first printed in 1756. The discussion of colours is limited to about fifteen which were considered most useful in oil painting, and, consequently, the information concerning pigments is somewhat restricted. However, it holds a place of some importance amongst books on painting technique because parts of it were repeated many times by other writers throughout the century.'-R. D. Harley, Artists pigments, 22. Harley goes on to make nine further quotes from or references to Bardwell. The work is also given much notice by F. Schmid in The practice of painting (1948). NUC locates three copies (Lib. Congress; US Geolog. Survey & Yale).
