Arab Merchant in a Striped Robe, Antique Hand-Colored Costume Print, 1854

An Arab merchant, an original antique hand colored print of 1854, the coloring applied by hand over a printed outline. The caption below the figure reads ARABISCH KOOPMAN., meaning Arab merchant.

The merchant stands full length, facing the viewer, his head turned slightly to the viewer's right. He has a long curling moustache and wears a turban patterned in red and white. Over a long white robe fastened down the front with small red buttons he wears an open outer robe striped in blue, with a red striped sash at the waist. His right arm is bent with the hand set on his hip under the outer robe, and his left hand is held at his waist. He wears red stockings and yellow slippers. Behind him at the right, lightly drawn, is a wrapped bale marked with a letter.

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. Foxing over much of the margin. Slight wear at the bottom right and top left corners. Several larger brown marks.

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