Arab Gentleman of High Rank, Antique Hand-Colored Costume Print, Berghaus, 1854

An Arab man of rank, an original antique hand colored print of 1854, the coloring applied by hand over a printed outline. The caption below the figure reads ARABIER UIT DEN AANZIENLIJKEN STAND., meaning Arab of the distinguished class.

The man, with a black moustache, stands full length and steps forward, pointing to the viewer's right with his left hand. He wears a large red hat with a turned up brim edged in yellow, drawn out at the back into a long curving point. A wide buff cloak lined in yellow hangs from his shoulders over a white robe patterned with red and green flowers, and below it a long skirt banded in pale blue. His stockings are red and his pointed slippers yellow, and his right hand rests at his waist. In the background at the right, lightly drawn, stand a domed building and walls.

No artist, lithographer or publisher is named on the plate, and there is no plate number above or below the image; the printed caption is the only lettering on the sheet.

The plate comes from the second volume, the Tweede Deel, of De Volken van den Aardbodem, the Dutch edition of Heinrich Berghaus's illustrated work on the peoples of the world, translated from the German by M. J. van Oven and published at Gorinchem by J. Noorduyn en Zoon in 1854. The title page of the volume announces 120 extra fine plates colored after nature. Berghaus was a German geographer, best known for his Physikalischer Atlas.

Light uneven toning, browner towards the edges. Marked handling soiling along all four edges. Slight wear at the bottom right corner.

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