Dress of the Greek Women of Alexandria, Antique Print, 1776

This is an original antique copper engraving from 1776, plate XXIV of volume 1 of Carsten Niebuhr's Voyage en Arabie. The caption in the lower margin reads, in Dutch and then in French, Kléding der Grieksche Vrouwen te Alexandrie. and Habillement des Femmes Grecques à Alexandrie., both meaning "Dress of the Greek Women at Alexandria".

A single young woman is drawn seated on a low, cushioned divan, turned slightly toward the viewer and leaning on her right arm, with an upright bolster covered in patterned cloth at the right. She wears a short jacket lined and edged with spotted fur over a long, full skirt, and a fur trimmed robe spills over the divan at the lower left, where the toe of a slipper shows beneath the hem. Her dress is drawn in detail. A jeweled cap with a feather sits on her head, with a beaded ornament hanging at one side; she wears earrings, a choker and a long necklace with an oval pendant, bracelets at both wrists, and a broad belt fastened with two large round clasps. In the hand at the viewer's left she holds a long string of beads ending in a tassel, and in the other a soft handkerchief. The wall behind is hatched plain, the divan cover is patterned, and the cushion at the left is worked with a scrolling design.

Under the lower left corner of the image is lettered "Baurenfeind, del:" and under the lower right "C.F. Fritsch, fecit.", giving the draftsman and the engraver. The plate number Tab. XXIV. is engraved at the upper right.

The sheet comes from the first volume of Carsten Niebuhr's Voyage en Arabie & en d'autres Pays circonvoisins, the Tome Premier, translated from the German and issued at Amsterdam by S. J. Baalde and at Utrecht by J. van Schoonhoven and Comp., with the date MDCCLXXVI on its title page. Niebuhr (1733 to 1815) was a German born surveyor in Danish service and the only member of the Danish expedition to Arabia (1761 to 1767), sent by King Frederick V of Denmark, to return alive. The expedition's artist, Georg Wilhelm Baurenfeind, died at sea in 1763.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the left edge. Light handling soiling along the edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. A light crease in the lower right margin. All four corners are present.

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