Three Antique Rome Trades & Costume Engravings, Papal Guard & Merchants, 1850

Set of Three Antique Rome Trades & Costume Engravings, Papal Guard & Street Merchants, circa 1850

DESCRIPTION: Striking set of three original antique hand-colored engravings depicting trades and costumes of mid-19th-century Rome. Published in Paris circa 1850 as part of the series “Les peuples peints par leurs Costumes.”

The set comprises:

1. Marchand de Beurre (Rome), A Roman butter merchant in traditional working dress, carrying a large woven basket and a decorated vessel, providing a charming record of everyday street life in Rome.

2. Sergent Suisse de la Garde du Pape (Rome), A sergeant of the Papal Swiss Guard shown in elaborate historical uniform with armor, ruff and plumed helmet. This particularly decorative plate documents the distinctive ceremonial dress associated with the papal court in Rome.

3. Marchand de Broccoli (Rome), A Roman broccoli seller surrounded by large baskets overflowing with produce, an unusually vivid occupational portrait illustrating the city's traditional market culture.

Together, the three engravings offer an engaging contrast between everyday Roman street trades and the ceremonial world of the Papal States. The butter merchant and vegetable seller represent the working population of Rome, while the Swiss Guard provides a colorful military and ecclesiastical counterpoint.

Finely engraved and enhanced with period hand coloring, the prints are particularly attractive as a group. Their matching format and typography, together with the varied silhouettes and complementary colors, make them ideal for display as a three-piece arrangement.

SUBJECT: Rome, Italy, Papal States, Roman Street Life, Roman Trades, Butter Merchant, Broccoli Seller, Papal Swiss Guard, Traditional Costume, Occupational Costume, Military Costume, Ethnography

DATE: Circa 1850

ORIGIN: Paris, France

MEDIUM: Hand-colored engravings on paper

STYLE: Romantic

CONDITION: Good antique condition with visible age-related foxing, spotting and toning, varying between the three sheets. Minor marginal wear and traces from former binding are present. The imperfections are consistent with the age and history of the works. Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.

Original antique prints, not modern reproductions.

DIMENSIONS: Three individual sheets; dimensions available on request.

SOLD: As a set of three, unframed. Any framed or interior images shown are for presentation and inspiration only.

KEYWORDS: Antique Rome prints, antique Italian costume prints, Rome street life, Roman street trades, Papal States, Papal Swiss Guard, Swiss Guard antique print, Vatican Guard, Vatican costume, Sergent Suisse de la Garde du Pape, Marchand de Beurre, Roman butter merchant, Marchand de Broccoli, broccoli seller, vegetable seller, Italian street vendor, Rome market, Roman merchant, Italian trades, occupational prints, traditional Italian costume, historical costume, European costume prints, ethnographic prints, hand-colored engravings, hand-colored prints, 19th century prints, circa 1850, Romantic period, social history, Italian history, Rome history, Vatican history, antique fashion prints, decorative wall art, gallery wall, set of three antique prints.