Antique Iceland Print – Leper Figure from Gaimard’s Voyage, Published 1842

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Antique Print of a Leper from Iceland – Gaimard Voyage, 1842

NOTE: This lithograph is sold without a frame or matting board.

This striking hand-colored lithograph, titled “Lépreux d’Islande” (Leper from Iceland), was published in Paris in 1842 as part of Voyage en Islande et au Groenland by Paul Gaimard (1793–1858). It forms Plate 1 in the medical section of this important expedition report, which documented Icelandic and Greenlandic life, culture, and natural history in the early 19th century.

The image presents a stark and humanizing portrait of an Icelandic leper, dressed in a dark coat with ornamental buttons and a cap, his expression rendered with uncompromising realism. Such medical and ethnographic plates were intended not only for scientific observation but also to bring European readers closer to the realities of remote populations. The finely executed lithography captures details of facial features, texture of clothing, and complexion with remarkable accuracy, typical of French scientific publishing of the period.

Paul Gaimard was a naval surgeon and naturalist who took part in several notable voyages. He served on Louis de Freycinet’s circumnavigation (1817–1820) aboard Uranie and later on Dumont d’Urville’s Astrolabe expedition (1826–1829) during the search for La Pérouse. In 1835 he led a scientific voyage to Iceland in search of Jean de Blosseville’s lost expedition, though no trace was found. Instead, his extensive travels produced this monumental work on Iceland and Greenland, valued for its ethnographic and scientific illustrations as well as its landscape views.

Prints from Gaimard’s voyage are today highly sought after for their historical and cultural importance, representing both the early development of ethnographic study and the 19th-century European fascination with northern regions.

Condition report:
Good condition with strong color retention. Scattered foxing visible, mainly in the margins, not affecting the central image. Wide margins preserved.

Framing tips:
A neutral cream or soft ivory mount will help minimize the appearance of foxing while enhancing the hand coloring. A simple dark wood or ebonized frame provides a strong contrast, while a gilt frame adds a museum-quality presentation suitable for historical and medical collections.