Figures & Portraits · 19th century
€ 310
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Excellent preservation with vivid original hand-coloring. Clean margins with minimal toning, blank verso. Strong impression.
Hand-Colored Portrait of a Lady-in-Waiting to Isabeau of Bavaria, France, ca. 1900 (after 1827)
Finely hand-colored engraving representing a lady-in-waiting (suivante) to Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, dated to the year 1389. The sitter is shown in a richly patterned crimson gown with fur edging at the hem, the bodice cut in deep folds revealing a white chemise. A wide golden sash emphasizes her waistline, while the ensemble is crowned by an imposing headdress: a tall, darkly brocaded structure with an attached veil, characteristic of late 14th-century Burgundian court fashion. Around her neck hangs a delicate necklace with a circular pendant, further accentuating her refined elegance.
This portrait belongs to the celebrated Galerie Française de Femmes Célèbres, first published in Paris in 1827 with illustrations by Louis-Marie Lanté (artist) and engravings by Georges Jacques Gatine. The plate offered here comes from a later edition, issued around 1900, which renewed the series for collectors and costume historians, presenting vibrant coloring and careful detail.
Isabeau of Bavaria (1370–1435), queen consort of France as the wife of Charles VI, was known for her influence in the politics of late medieval France and her association with the sumptuous fashions of the Burgundian and French courts. Her attendants, like the lady represented here, would have been dressed in equally magnificent attire, symbolizing the prestige and ceremonial splendor of the royal household.
Condition report: Excellent preservation with vivid original hand-coloring. Clean margins with minimal toning, blank verso. Strong impression.
Framing tips: Best presented in a gilt or ebony frame with a wide ivory mount. A secondary mat in deep burgundy or gold would echo the colors of the gown and headdress, adding depth and historical resonance to the display.
Technique: Hand-colored engraving (later impression, ca. 1900)
Maker: After Louis-Marie Lanté (artist) and Georges Jacques Gatine (engraver), Paris, 1827
