Dalecarlian Peasant, Finns and Boats on the Frozen Gulf of Bothnia, 1842

An original antique lithograph, hand colored, from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). The upper image shows three figures on a grassy rise. At left a bearded man in a red cap, a long green smock, dark breeches and white leggings rests both hands on a stick. In the center an older man in a fur hat with a red plume, a brown coat with a yellow belt and blue breeches holds a long staff and reaches toward the woman at right, who wears a white veil, several necklaces, a red bodice with a diamond pattern, a white blouse with red bands, a yellow apron and a red skirt. The lower image shows boats on a frozen sea between floes and snowy hills: at left men lean on ropes beside a large boat with a broad sail standing on the ice, in the center two men haul on a rope with a dog beside them and a second dog in the foreground, and at right men work a second sailboat with a pink pennant.

The lettering reads "Tom IV" at upper left, "SVEZIA" in the center and "Tav. 88" at upper right. The upper captions read "Contadino di Dalecarlia" (Peasant of Dalecarlia) under the figures at left and "Finlandesi" (Finns) at right. The lower caption reads "Golfo di Bottnia" (Gulf of Bothnia).

Dalecarlia, Dalarna in Swedish, is a province of central Sweden known for its traditional dress. The Gulf of Bothnia, between Sweden and Finland, freezes over in winter, and boats were dragged and sailed across the ice.

The bright costumes above and the cold winter scene below make a striking pair for a Scandinavian collection.

Condition: Light age toning; light handling soiling along the edges and a few small spots in the margins. Printed image clean.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.