Spreewald Folk Costumes, Prussia, Women in Traditional Dress, c.1875
€ 280
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1875
Mapmaker / artist
Albert Kretschmer (after), Leipzig, c.1875
Technique
Chromolithography
Sheet size
31.5 × 25.5 cm (12.4 × 10.0 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-14222-23
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
Good condition overall. Light age toning to margins, minor scattered spotting, colors fresh and well preserved.
About this sheet
Spreewald Folk Costumes, Prussia, Women in Traditional Dress, c.1875
This finely colored chromolithograph depicts three women wearing traditional folk dress from the Spreewald region in Prussia, shown engaged in conversation within a rural architectural setting. The plate offers a clear and detailed view of regional garments, including pleated skirts, embroidered bodices, lace collars, and the distinctive Sorbian head coverings for which the region is renowned.
The costume shown belongs to the Sorbian (also known as Wendish) population of the Spreewald and the wider Lusatian region in southeastern Prussia. These West Slavic communities maintained strong regional identities well into the 19th century, expressed most visibly through dress worn for daily life, church attendance, and festive occasions.
The print was produced in the mid-1870s after drawings by Albert Kretschmer and published by J. G. Bach in Leipzig as part of a landmark series documenting European regional costume. Combining ethnographic accuracy with refined decorative appeal, the series remains one of the most respected visual records of traditional dress from this period.
This plate works equally well as a stand-alone interior piece or as part of a broader collection of German and Central European costume prints.
Good condition overall. Light age toning to margins, minor scattered spotting, colors fresh and well preserved.
FRAMING AND MATTING SUGGESTIONS: Dark walnut or ebonised frame paired with a warm ivory or light taupe museum board mat; a slightly textured cotton or alpha-cellulose mat enhances depth without distracting from the figures.
