Man and Woman of the Naudowessies, Mississippi Region – 18th Century Engraving

€ 240

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Sheet size: 19.5 × 24.1 cm (7.7 × 9.5 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-14129-10

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 antique condition. Overall age toning with scattered foxing and light surface marks, mainly in the margins. The engraved image remains strong and well-defined. Color on the riffle. Minor edge wear consistent with age.

About this sheet

A man and woman of the Naudowessies, an original copper engraving signed "Grignion sculp." The full caption reads "A Man & Woman of the Nawdowessies to the westward of the Mississippi in North America."

The man at the left stands holding a long musket, with a feathered headdress, a breastband, a waist cloth and leggings. At the right a woman in a long loose shirt, with her hair in a braid, holds the hand of a small child. Behind them rise bare hills and ground broken with scrub, and a large tree leans over the right side. The view is bounded by a ruled line, and the caption is engraved in italic script below.

Naudowessie was the name used in English-language writing of the 18th century for the Dakota (Sioux) peoples of the upper Mississippi, and the old description identifies it so. The musket indicates trade with Europeans. The engraver, Charles Grignion, was among the most active London engravers of book illustrations of his time.