Chivalry to Fantasy: Helmets Across Ages, Lithographs Published in 1847
€ 150
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Date
1847
Sheet size
27 × 18 cm (10.6 × 7.1 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-13635-149
Condition
Good. Overal light toning and light soiling but the image itself clean and hand-colored almost 200 years ago and still in expliciet colors. Aged paper with typically warm, yellowish-brown hue, mostly around the edges. Study the images carefully.
About this sheet
This print presents a fascinating collection of historical helmets and headpieces, each representing a unique style and period. At the top left, there is a helmet with a visor and neck guard, reminiscent of European knights. Adjacent to it is a similar helmet paired with a jousting lance, suggesting the equipment of a medieval knight in a tournament.
The bottom half of the print features more exotic and ornamental headwear. On the left, we see a helmet with what appears to be a unicorn horn, indicative of the mythical and ceremonial nature of some armor designs. On the right, there is a headpiece with an elaborate crest, possibly denoting a high-ranking individual or a decorative piece meant for parades or non-combat scenarios.
The title hints at the transition from practical medieval combat equipment to the more whimsical and ceremonial designs that followed. It captures the essence of the collection, which spans practical use in warfare to the symbolic and decorative roles that helmets have played throughout history..
The colors have a nice glow over them. Historically, egg whites, known as glair, and sometimes egg yolk were indeed used in illumination and painting, particularly in manuscripts, to give colors a brighter appearance and to add a sheen or gloss to the work. This technique was quite common during the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.
Egg whites can be applied as a varnish over pigments to enhance their brightness and to protect the colors. This application could make the colors appear more vivid and also add a slight glossy sheen to the surface of the image.
Egg yolk, on the other hand, was commonly used as a binding agent in paint. It forms the basis of tempera paint, a medium that was widely used before the advent of oil painting. Egg yolk helps to create a durable and long-lasting color that adheres well to various surfaces.
In the context of the print from 1847, it's less likely that egg whites or yolks were used directly on the print, as by that time, commercial printing processes would have been more advanced and less reliant on such manual methods. However, if this print is a representation of an earlier style or is meant to mimic the appearance of hand-painted manuscripts, the original artists might have employed techniques or materials that gave a similar effect to those achieved with egg-based binders and varnishes.
