About this sheet
Set of Three Antique Prints of Lepers from Iceland – Gaimard Voyage, 1842
These lithographs are sold without a frame or matting board.
This powerful set of three hand-colored lithographs, each titled “Lépreux d’Islande” (Leper from Iceland), was published in Paris in 1842 as part of Paul Gaimard’s Voyage en Islande et au Groenland. These portraits, numbered Plates 5–7 in the medicine section, were produced as part of the expedition’s scientific and ethnographic documentation of Icelandic life in the early 19th century.
The plates depict three different Icelandic leprosy patients, each shown with remarkable clarity and detail. One figure wears a broad-brimmed hat, eyes closed and features softened by disease; another is presented with furrowed brow and scarred skin, his gaze intense; while the third, dressed in a green coat, looks downward with a solemn expression. Each portrait combines careful observation of pathology with ethnographic detail, capturing not only symptoms but also attire and character.
Paul Gaimard (1793–1858), naval surgeon and naturalist, was a prominent figure in French exploration. He sailed with Louis de Freycinet’s circumnavigation (1817–1820) aboard Uranie and later joined Dumont d’Urville’s Astrolabe expedition (1826–1829) during the search for La Pérouse. His own 1835 voyage to Iceland and Greenland, though unsuccessful in locating the missing expedition of Jean de Blosseville, produced one of the most important published records of northern life, with lithographs documenting landscapes, people, medical conditions, and cultural practices.
These plates exemplify the intersection of medicine, anthropology, and art in 19th-century scientific publishing. Their clinical precision, combined with the sensitivity of hand coloring, makes them not only scientific records but also moving human portraits. Today, they are of great interest to collectors of ethnographic art, medical history, and exploration voyages.
Condition report:
Good condition overall. Strong hand coloring with well-preserved detail. Some foxing and toning, mostly in the margins, consistent with age. Images remain vivid and unaffected. Wide margins preserved.
Framing tips:
These three lithographs can be displayed together as a series or individually. A cream or ivory mat balances the strong tones of the portraits, while black or dark wood frames provide an elegant and museum-quality presentation. A gilt fillet can be added for emphasis, enhancing the historical character of the prints.
