Ethnography · 19th century
€ 210
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good condition consistent with age. Mild toning and a few small spots in margins. Some light handling marks and soft edges. Image clean with bright, original hand-coloring well-preserved.
Ulieteërs – Antique Hand-Colored Ethnographic Engraving of Raiatea, Polynesia (c.1800)
An elegant early 19th-century ethnographic engraving titled “Ulieteërs,” depicting two figures from Raiatea in the Society Islands (historically referred to as “Ulietea” by European explorers). A seated woman holds a basket filled with colorful tropical plants while draping a cloth loosely across her lap. Beside her stands a man carrying a pole over his shoulder with a woven basket suspended from it. The scene is set in a lush natural landscape, evoking the idyllic European perception of the Pacific islands during the era following Captain Cook’s voyages.
This finely engraved plate is hand-colored with soft tones typical of early Dutch and French color printing, giving the image both decorative charm and historical significance. Signed in the plate: “S. Kuyper del.” (artist) and “J. Portman sc.” (engraver). Published by J. Allart in the Netherlands, circa 1800.
This print represents part of a broader Enlightenment-era fascination with Polynesian societies, as European audiences sought visual documentation of distant cultures encountered through Pacific exploration. Today, it serves as an important artifact of early ethnographic illustration and cross-cultural history.
Condition: Good condition consistent with age. Mild toning and a few small spots in margins. Some light handling marks and soft edges. Image clean with bright, original hand-coloring well-preserved.
Framing Tips:
A natural or dark wood frame pairs well with the soft palette. Use an off-white mat to emphasize the composition. Suitable for presentation as part of a Polynesian or Pacific exploration group.
Technique: Hand-colored engraving
Maker: J. Allart (publisher), after S. Kuyper, engraved by J. Portman
Date: c.1800
Keywords: Raiatea print, Ulietea, Society Islands art, Polynesian ethnography, South Pacific culture, Cook voyages era, antique hand-colored engraving, anthropology art, Oceania history, decorative colonial-era print, J. Allart publisher, S. Kuyper artist, J. Portman engraver
