Charles de Ferriol (1652-1718) (after)
Jean Baptiste Vanmour (1671-1737) (after)
Juan Bautista Bru (engraver)
Coleccion de Estampas que Representan los Trages [Trajes] de Varias Naciones Asiaticas
[Collection of Prints Representing the Costumes of Various Asian Nations]
D. Miguel Copin, Carrera de S. Geronimo,
Madrid: 1784
Folio, contemporary vellum, 16.5 x 10.5 inches
42 of 44 hand-colored engravings
16.25 x 10.25 inches, prints overall
11 x 7.75 inches, average approximate plate mark
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
18th Century Asian Costume Prints
Rare Colorplate Book
Rare Colorplate Book
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Scarce colorplate book illustrating Asian costume, beautifully rendered in original hand color. Described on its title page as “useful and curious,” the book includes people of Persia, Turkey, China, as well as those of Eastern Europe including Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary and Transylvania. The title page also mentions that care was taken to color them accurately. Apparently a very rare volume; it is not listed in Colas or Lipperheide, the standard bibliographical references on costume prints. The titles of the individual plates are listed below.
The title page states that the plates were engraved by Brú after those commissioned by Marquis Charles de Ferriol (1652-1718), who served as the French ambassador to the Porte (i.e. Constantinople) from 1699 to 1709. This would mean that Brú’s source was Recueil de cent estampes représentant différentes nations du Levant (1712-13) a book of plates of the costumes of the Ottoman Empire produced by Ferriol after paintings by the Dutch artist Jean Baptiste Vanmour (1671-1737). Vanmour accompanied Ferriol to Constantinople in 1699 at age 18 and remained for the rest of his life. In 1707, he began work on Ferriol’s commission of 100 pictures of officials and people of various nationalities in the city, from Turkish nobility to Bulgarian shepherds. After an incident in which he insulted the sultan, Ferriol returned to Paris and published Recueil. The work was tremendously influential as the main sourcebook for artists painting Turkish scenes, which were popular exotic subjects in 18th-century Europe.
Juan Bautista Brú, the engraver and illuminator, is described on the title page as “Painter and Taxidermist of the Royal [Collector’s] Cabinet, and Member of Merit of the Royal Economic Society of Madrid.” The work is dedicated to the Spanish statesman José Moñino, Conde de Floridablanca (1728-1808), who at the time this work was created served as chief minister under Charles III, where his accomplishments included negotiating peace and economic treaties with the Ottoman Empire, Morocco and Portugal.
The following plates are present:
1. El Gran Senor Vestido de Ceremonia [Lord in Ceremonial Dress]
2. La Primera Sultana con Trage [Traje] de maior Gala [The First Sultana in full dress costume]
3. El gran Señor en el Trage [Traje] congue va al Serrallo [Lord in the Costume seen going to the Harem]
4. El Gran Visir en Trage [Traje] de Ceremonia [The Great Vizier in Ceremonial Dress]
5. El Papas de la Iglesia Griega [The Pope of the Greek Church]
6. El Mafti ó Gefe [Jefe] de la Ley [The Mufti or Legal Chief]
7. El Aga delos Genizaros [The Aga of the Imperial Turkish Guard]
8. El Capitan Pacha ó Gran Almirante de Mar [The Royal Captain or Great Sea Admiral]
9. Tehorbadgi ó Capitan de los Genizaros [Tehorbadgi or Captian of the Imperial Turkish Guard]
10. Gefe [Jefe] de los Spais ó Comandante de la Caballeria Turca [Head of the Spais or Commander of the Turkish Cavalry]
11. El Rey de Siam [The King of Siam]
12. La Reina de Siam [The Queen of Siam]
13. Agá ó Gentilhombre Turco [Aga or Turkish Gentleman]
14. Bey ó Capitan de Galera [Bey or Galley Captain]
15. Obispo de Basilitaul Vicario Apostolico de Nanhin [Bishop of Basilitaul Apostolic Vicar of Nanhin]
16. Lama Tartaro de Kalmah [Tartar Lama of Kalmah]
17. Una Señora Persiana Vestida de Gala [A Persian Lady in Full Dress]
18. Capitan Persiano [Persian Captain]
19. Boluch Bassi ú Oficial de los Genizaros [Boluch Bassi or Official of the Imperial Turkish Guard]
20. Una noble turca [A noble Turkish woman]
21. Plate Lacking
22. Plate Lacking
23. Princesa de Valaquia [Princess of Valaquia]
24. El Gefe [Jefe] de los Cunucos Negros es superíntendente del Serrallo [The Chief of the Black Cunucos is superintendent of the Harem]
25. Un Noble Hungaro [A Noble Hungarian]
26. Una Señora de Chío Ysla del Archipielago [A Lady of the Island of Chio of the (Greek) Archipelago]
27. El Gran Sacerdote Persiano [The Great Persian High Priest]
28. El Gefe [Jefe] de los Cunucoj Blancos [The Chief of the White Cunucos]
29. Una noble Hungara [A Hungarian noblewoman]
30. El Gran Lama Tartaro [The Tartar High Lama]
31. Bailarina Turca [Turkish Dancer]
32. Le Bach-Chiaour, Gefe de los Ministros de Justicia [The Bach-Chiaour, Head of the Ministers of Justice]
33. Una Donzella Noble de Valaca [A Noble Damsel of Valaca (Transylvania)]
34. Soldado de la Guardia, del Gran Señor [Soldier of the Lord’s Guard]
35. Una Señora Griega en Ceremonia de Casarse [A Greek Lady in Bridal Dress]
36. Soulak[?] Bachi Capitan de las Guardias del Gran Señor [Soulak Bachi Captain of the Lord’s Guards]
37. Una Señora de San Juan de Patmos Isla del Archipielago [A Lady of St. John of Patmos, Island of the (Greek) Archipelago]
38. Capidqi-Bachi el Maestro de Ceremonias [Capidqi-Bachi the Master of Ceremonies]
39. Un Gentil Hombre de Valaquia [The Gentleman of Valaquia]
40. Sultana de Transilvania [Sultana of Transylvania]
41. Labradora de Russia [Russian Farmer]
42. Un Joben de Bulga [A Young Bulgarian]
43. Una Mujer travajadora de Cilandia en el norte [A Working Woman of Cilandia in the north]
44. Bara de Egipto [Bara of Egypt]
45. Donzella Arabe [Arab Damsel]
46. Mandarin de Guerra de la China [War Mandarin of China]
Title Page:
Coleccion de Estampas, Que Representan Los Trages [Trajes] de Varias Naciones Asiaticas, Copiades de Las Que Mandó Grabar Mr. Feriól, Embajador de S. M. Christianísima en Constantinopla: Dedicada al Excmo. Señor Conde de Florida Blanca, del Consejo de Estado de S.M. su primer Secretario de Estado, y de Gracia y Justicia: Grabadas, é Iluminadas por d. Juan Bautista Brú, Pintor y Disecador del Real Gabinete, y Socio de mérito de la Real Sociedad Económica de Madrid. Obra Util y Curiosa. Los colores de las iluminadas están arreglados á los que se usan en aquellos payses segun la diferencia de los empleos. Año de M.DCC.LXXXIV. Se hallará en casa de D. Miguél Copin, Carrera de S. Gerónimo.
References:
“Floridablanca or Florida Blanca, José Moñino, conde de.” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. 2004. http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0818968.html (15 October 2004).
Mansel, Philip. Painter in the Palace. Cornucopia Issue 30. 2003-2004. http://www.cornucopia.net/aboutvm.html (15 October 2004).