Greek Man in Traditional Dress, Hand-Colored Lithograph, c.1845
€ 225
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1845
Mapmaker / artist
Markaert after Auguste Wahlen, Brussels, c.1845
Technique
Hand-colored lithograph
Sheet size
25.2 × 16.7 cm (9.9 × 6.6 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-14222-1
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
Even toning with light age spotting; colors fresh; margins ample.
About this sheet
Greek Man in Traditional Dress, Hand-Colored Lithograph, c.1845
This finely hand-colored lithograph depicts a Greek man in traditional regional costume, published in Auguste Wahlen’s ambitious mid-19th-century survey of world cultures, Moeurs, Usages et Costumes de tous les Peuples du Monde. The figure is shown standing in a relaxed yet dignified pose, dressed in a richly detailed ensemble including the fustanella, embroidered jacket, fez, and pistols worn at the waist—elements closely associated with Greek identity during the post-Ottoman era.
The image reflects the Romantic fascination with national character and folk traditions that defined European ethnographic publishing in the 1830s–1840s. Executed after drawings by Markaert, the lithograph combines careful observation with a decorative sensibility, intended for both educational and visual appeal. The restrained background isolates the figure, allowing costume and posture to take visual precedence.
Such plates were produced in Brussels using lithography and then hand-colored, making each example subtly unique. Today, they are appreciated for their documentary value as well as their decorative charm, fitting comfortably in both classical and eclectic interiors.
CONDITION: Even toning with light age spotting; colors fresh; margins ample.
FRAMING TIPS: Elegant in a dark walnut or ebonised frame with an ivory or soft-gray mat.
