Fashion & Costume · 19th century
€ 225
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Even toning with light age spotting; colours fresh; margins ample.
Greek Man in Traditional Dress, Hand-Coloured Lithograph, c.1845
This finely hand-coloured 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-coloured, 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; colours fresh; margins ample.
FRAMING TIPS:
Elegant in a dark walnut or ebonised frame with an ivory or soft-grey mat.
Technique: Hand-coloured lithograph
Maker: Markaert after Auguste Wahlen, Brussels, c.1845
