Faces of Santa Cristina: Portraits from the Age of Discovery, Engravings of 1785
€ 180
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1785
Sheet size
24.5 × 38 cm (9.6 × 15.0 in)
Condition
Fair
Reference
BG-13597-100
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
Fair condition, but some soiling and a few brown vertical stripes. Aged paper with typically warm, yellowish-brown hue. Borders or edges not cut straight. Study the images carefully.
About this sheet
The engraving shows two individuals labeled as "A MAN of STA CHRISTINA." and "A WOMAN of STA CHRISTINA."
On the left, the man is depicted with a direct gaze, curly hair, and a striped garment draped over his shoulders. His facial hair is distinctive, with a beard and mustache that frame his mouth, and the details of his face are rendered with fine lines to convey texture and expression.
On the right, the woman has curly hair, large hoop earrings, and a necklace. Her attire is also striped, similar to the man’s, suggesting a possible cultural or regional style. Her expression is calm, and her features are depicted with the same care and detail, indicating the engraver's dedication to accurately portraying these individuals.
The term "STA CHRISTINA" likely refers to an island that was visited by European explorers. Such engravings would have been created to document the appearance and attire of the peoples encountered during exploratory voyages, and they would have been of great interest to European audiences of the time as ethnographic representations.
The publication date of this engraving would be from a collection detailing Captain Cook's voyages, published in the late 18th century, likely in the 1780s. The detailed work suggests that it was created for a comprehensive and "accurate" account of the voyages, intended for an audience curious about the wider world.
