Original Antique Costume Print of Peruvian Mestizos, "Raza Roja", c.1880

About this sheet

An original antique chromolithograph titled "Raza Roja – Cholos ó Mestizos del Perú", depicting a Peruvian mestizo couple in traditional dress. The print was published in Barcelona by Montaner y Simón during the late nineteenth century.

The composition portrays a young man and woman dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing, surrounded by baskets of fruit and vegetables before a rustic dwelling. The figures represent the cholos or mestizos of Peru, illustrating the mixed Indigenous and European heritage that formed an important part of nineteenth-century Peruvian society.

The image formed part of an ethnographic series illustrating the peoples and cultures of the world. During the nineteenth century, publishers produced richly colored costume plates that documented regional dress, customs and daily life, making them both educational and highly decorative.

The print was designed by the celebrated Catalan illustrator Tomás Padró (1840–1877), one of Spain's leading artists and caricaturists of the period. It was lithographed by M. Pujadas and printed by the renowned Barcelona publishing house Montaner y Simón, famous for producing high-quality illustrated books and chromolithographs.

The fresh original colors and attractive composition make this an excellent decorative print as well as an appealing example of nineteenth-century ethnographic illustration from South America.

This is an original antique print printed in the nineteenth century. It is not a modern reproduction.

Good condition considering its age. Original colors. General age-related toning, occasional light foxing and minor handling wear. Please study the image carefully.

The framed and interior visuals are provided for imagination and presentation purposes only. The original antique print is sold unframed.