French Soldiers of the 16th Century, Pair of Antique Prints, circa 1882

About this sheet

This is a set of two original antique hand-colored wood engravings, sold together as one lot, from Augustin Challamel's La France et les Francais a travers les siecles, Paris, circa 1882. The sheets are, in order: Musketeer and Infantry Officer of the 16th Century; Guise and Montmorency, Commanders of the 16th Century. A musketeer carrying his heavy matchlock on his shoulder with the rest slung behind, beside an infantry officer in a blued breastplate and red trunk hose holding a tasselled partizan, both in plumed hats. Henri de Guise in the dress of a general of infantry in 1580 beside Francois de Montmorency as marshal of France in 1576, both in half armor with sashes, ruffs and plumed hats, taken from period engravings.

This sheet was issued at Paris about 1882 by F. Roy, editeur, in Augustin Challamel's history of France and the French through the centuries, a work crowned by the Academie francaise. Challamel was also the author of a history of fashion in France, and the costume plates are the part of the book he cared about most. They are wood engravings, and the color has been applied by hand over the printed line, which is why the washes sit slightly across the engraved outline in places. This is a wood engraving finished by hand in watercolor. The coloring is bold rather than subtle, which suits the flat decorative drawing, and the strong yellows, reds and blues of the suite are what make these sheets work so well in a group on a wall rather than only as reference illustrations.

Drawn from Willemin's Monuments francais inedits, this is the clearest plate in the volume for sixteenth century infantry equipment, with the match, the bandolier charges and the forked rest all plainly shown. Two of the greatest names of the wars of religion stand side by side here in their actual commands, which makes the sheet a double portrait of the French high command at the moment the League was forming. They are two original sheets sold together, and the set is never split. A matched group like this is easier to place than a single sheet, because it fills a wall on its own, and the common ground and plate size mean the frames can be identical.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Marked handling soiling along the edges of both sheets. Scattered foxing in the margins of both sheets. Slight wear at the corners of both sheets.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.