Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, Costume Plate, Wood Engraving, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand with watercolor, showing a Grand Cross of the Spanish Order of Charles III in the ceremonial dress of the order. The young man stands full length facing the viewer, the hand at right resting on his hip. He wears a dark blue cocked hat with white plumes, a light blue tunic edged with a silver fringe at the hem, dark knee breeches, white stockings and low shoes with rosettes. Over his shoulders falls a long light blue mantle with a white lining, powdered with silver stars on the cape, tied with silver cords that end in heavy tassels. A light blue and white sash crosses his chest from the shoulder at left to a bow at the hip at right, where the cross of the order hangs: a small cross enameled white and blue, with a white oval center. A small badge is worn on the breast. He wears white gloves, and he stands on a patch of tinted ground.

The caption below is in Spanish and French: "Gran cruz de la órden de Carlos III." and "Grand-Croix de l'ordre de Charles III." (Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III). The block is signed in the ground "DUVERGER" at lower left and "CLERMAN" at lower right. The plate carries no running head or plate number.

The plate comes from Ordres de Chevalerie et Marques d'Honneur, published by Auguste Wahlen in Brussels by the Librairie Historique-Artistique, rue de Schaerbeek, 12, in 1844. The half title reads Histoire, costumes, décorations de tous les ordres de chevalerie, et marques d'honneur. Auguste Wahlen was the pen name of the Belgian writer Jean-François-Nicolas Loumyer (1801 to 1875), and the title page lists his own knighthoods in the orders of Prussia, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Hanover, Greece, the Roman States, Saxe-Coburg and Brazil.

The pale blues and silver of the robes give this costume plate a light, elegant look on the wall.

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