Ancient Germanic and Greek Warriors with Modern Soldiers, Hand Colored, 1842

An original antique lithograph with hand coloring, from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). In the upper image a long haired Germanic warrior, seen from behind, stands wrapped in a brown fur cloak and holds a tall plank shield of plain wood, a club held low in his hand. Beside him a Greek warrior in a red crested helmet, cuirass and pleated skirt advances behind a large round blue shield painted with a gold device, a short sword in his right hand. The lower image moves to the modern era: at left an infantryman in a tall black shako, white jacket with red cuffs, white crossbelts and blue trousers takes aim with a bayoneted musket, while at right a cavalryman in a crested metal helmet reins in a rearing gray horse with a red edged saddlecloth, smoke drifting across the ground behind him.

The top margin is lettered Tom. IV at upper left, "EUROPA" at center and Tav. 1 at upper right. The captions read "Germano antico" (Ancient German), "Guerriero Greco antico" (Ancient Greek warrior), "Soldato Moderno" (Modern soldier) and "Soldato di Cavalleria moderno" (Modern cavalry soldier).

The plate sets two ancient fighting men against two soldiers of the early nineteenth century, so that the contrast between them is the subject. The Germanic warrior's wooden shield and fur cloak stand against the bronze armor and round shield of the Greek infantryman, while the lower pair shows the musket, bayonet and shako of early nineteenth century infantry and a mounted trooper of the same period.

The four figures read clearly at a distance, and the plate suits a study, library or any room hung with military subjects.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.