Russian Traditional Costumes and Trades, Set of Four Antique Prints, circa 1850

Russian Traditional Costumes and Trades, Set of Four Antique Prints, circa 1850

A decorative set of four original antique costume prints depicting figures from Russia and the Russian Empire, published in Paris during the mid-19th century as part of the celebrated French series “Les Peuples Peints par Eux-Mêmes / Les Peuples Peints par Leurs Costumes.”

The set includes four individually titled subjects:

Esthonienne, a young Estonian woman in traditional regional dress.

Jeune Fille Russe, a young Russian woman shown in traditional costume.

Maître d’École de St. Pétersbourg, a schoolmaster from Saint Petersburg.

Cocher de Seigneur, en petite tenue, a nobleman’s coachman shown in characteristic Russian dress.

The finely engraved figures are enhanced with attractive period color and provide a fascinating record of regional dress, occupations and social types in the Russian Empire during the 19th century. Together, the four sheets form a particularly appealing and balanced decorative group, combining two female costume studies with two male occupational subjects.

These are original antique prints, not modern reproductions.

DATE: circa 1850

ORIGIN: Paris, France

MEDIUM: Engraved prints with period hand coloring

SUBJECT: Russia, Estonia, Saint Petersburg, traditional costume, occupations, ethnography

STYLE: Victorian, Romantic, ethnographic, costume

CONDITION: Good antique condition with age-related toning, scattered foxing and spotting, as visible in the photographs. The natural signs of age contribute to their authentic antique character. Please examine the images carefully for condition.

SET: Four original antique prints

FRAMING: Sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are for presentation and inspiration only.