Gentlemen and Ladies of 1605 to 1630, Set of Three Prints, circa 1882

About this sheet

This is a set of three 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: A Lady and Two Gentlemen in the Fashion of 1605; Marie de Medicis in Widow's Dress and a Gentleman of 1620; Gentlemen from 1615 to 1630. A lady and two gentlemen in the fashion of 1605, the men in padded doublets, short cloaks and starched ruffs, the lady in a wheel farthingale with a lace fan collar, taken from the Gaignieres collection. A lady of the court, Marie de Medicis in widow's dress, and a gentleman of about 1620, the queen in a black mourning gown with a stiff white collar and the gentleman in a slashed doublet with a falling ruff. Gentlemen of the years 1615 to 1630 in doublets with slashed sleeves, wide falling collars, full breeches and bucket topped boots, their plumed hats worn at an angle.

The plate belongs to La France et les Francais a travers les siecles by Augustin Challamel, published in Paris by F. Roy at 185 rue Saint-Antoine about 1882. It comes from the suite headed Costumes civils et militaires des Francais a travers les siecles, which runs through the work and illustrates French civil and military dress from Gaul to the nineteenth century. Much of the original drawing was done by Edmond Lechevalier-Chevignard, working from manuscripts, tapestries and paintings named on the sheets themselves. The plates of this suite are headed Costumes civils et militaires des Francais a travers les siecles across the top of the sheet, numbered at the lower left and signed F. Roy, editeur at the lower right, with the engraver's name cut small into the lower margin of the block on many of them. The ground is left plain so that the figures carry the whole weight of the design.

The Gaignieres albums preserve drawings of French dress made from life before 1700 and are the primary source for the period, which is why a plate drawn from them carries more authority than a reconstruction. Marie de Medicis in mourning for Henri the Fourth is the image of the regency, and showing her between a court lady and a gentleman of the same years puts the royal figure in the context of the people around her. They are three original sheets sold together, and the set is never split. Hung together in matching frames the sheets read as one piece of wall rather than as separate prints, and the uniform plate size makes an even line above a sideboard, a bed or a run of stairs.

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