The Court of Francois Premier, Pair of Antique Costume Prints, circa 1882

About this sheet

This is a set of two 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: Lady of the Court of Francois Premier; Gentleman of the Court of Francois Premier. A lady of the court of Francois the First standing in a wide sleeved gown of patterned silk with a square neckline, a jeweled girdle falling to the hem and a close hood with its lappets turned back. A gentleman of the court of Francois the First in a short gown with broad fur revers over a slashed doublet, square toed shoes, a flat plumed cap and a sword, standing squarely with one hand on his hip.

This sheet was issued at Paris about 1882 by F. Roy, editeur, in Augustin Challamel's history of France and the French through the centuries, a work crowned by the Academie francaise. Challamel was also the author of a history of fashion in France, and the costume plates are the part of the book he cared about most. They are wood engravings, and the color has been applied by hand over the printed line, which is why the washes sit slightly across the engraved outline in places. This is a wood engraving finished by hand in watercolor. The coloring is bold rather than subtle, which suits the flat decorative drawing, and the strong yellows, reds and blues of the suite are what make these sheets work so well in a group on a wall rather than only as reference illustrations.

The court of Francois the First is where Italian taste entered French dress, and the square neck, the slashed oversleeve and the hood in this plate are the three features by which that change is usually recognized. The broad shouldered silhouette of this figure is the male counterpart to the square necked gown of the court ladies, and the two plates together give the complete Francois the First look. They are two original sheets sold together, and the set is never split. A matched group like this is easier to place than a single sheet, because it fills a wall on its own, and the common ground and plate size mean the frames can be identical.

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