Bianca Maria, Countess of Cellant – 15th Century Italian Costume by Mercuri 1861
€ 250
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1861
Sheet size
31 × 23.5 cm (12.2 × 9.3 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-12346-172
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Very good condition with light age toning and minor foxing in the margins. The image is crisp and the original hand coloring remains vivid.
About this sheet
This striking hand-colored lithograph depicts Bianca Maria, Countess of Cellant (Challant), a 15th-century Italian noblewoman known as much for her scandal as for her beauty. According to the Renaissance writer Bandello, she was executed for persuading one lover to murder two of her others. She is shown wearing a gold-embroidered turban and a flowing white silk simar adorned with golden bows and rich embroidery, embodying the dramatic elegance of late medieval Italian fashion.
The costume is based on a portrait taken from a fresco by Bernardino Luini, illustrating the beheading of St. Catherine in the church of Monastero Maggiore, Milan. This print was drawn and lithographed by Paul Mercuri, with accompanying text by Camille Bonnard, and published by Levy Fils, Paris, circa 1860, as part of the series Historical Costumes from the 12th to 15th Centuries.
Very good condition with light age toning and minor foxing in the margins. The image is crisp and the original hand coloring remains vivid.
Framing suggestions: Pair with a soft cream or light ivory acid-free mat and frame in antique gold or walnut for a museum-quality presentation. UV-protective glass will help preserve the delicate hand-coloring and paper.
