Antique Aquatint of The Distribution of Wine on the Morning of St.Louis, c.1822

Other Prints · 19th century

Antique Aquatint of The Distribution of Wine on the Morning of St.Louis, c.1822

€ 160

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

Date: 1822
Mapmaker / artist: Sams, W. (1793-1842)
Sheet size: 25 × 32.5 cm (9.8 × 12.8 in)
Condition: Fair
Reference: BG-13171

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.

About this sheet

Title: "Distribution of Wine on the Morning of St. Louis."

Handcolored etching and aquatint from W. SAMS, A Tour through Paris (1822-1824), with engraved caption and publisher/ artist's address "London, W. Sams (...) 1822" below image. - With the accompanying letterpress text leaf (recto only). Reference: Abbey, Travel 114.

The accompanying textleaf critically explains the scene and puts it in a historical perspective. The French apparently had the tradition of distributing wine on the day of St Louis (instead of the justice that St Louis originally distributed). The author rejects this practice: "The French prefects seem to think, that because the Roman Ediles distributed bread, it is their duty to continue this traditional beneficence of their predecessors. But the device of the Roman plebeians was "bread and shows," not "wine and shows.""