Greek Archon and His Wife with Athenian Peasant Women, Lithograph, 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 woman with long hair and a gold band across her brow reclines on a pink and green divan, resting her head on her hand, in a patterned brown robe over blue and a white blouse, a pair of red slippers on the floor before her. To the right a man in a tall fur cap, a long striped robe, a blue sash and a fur lined brown coat lounges on a cushioned yellow divan, smoking a long pipe whose bowl rests on a small tray on the floor. In the lower image two women face each other on a grassy field: the left one, seen from behind, wears a red veil, an embroidered white blouse and a yellow overskirt patterned in brown; the right one wears a white headscarf, a green jacket over a red bodice, a red apron and a green skirt with a patterned pink hem and holds a small basket.

The top margin is lettered Tom IV at upper left, "GRECIA" at center and Tav 129 at upper right. The captions read "Moglie d' un Arconte" (Wife of an archon), "Arconte Greco" (Greek archon) and "Contadine Ateniesi" (Athenian peasant women).

Archon, from the title of the magistrates of ancient Athens, was used in Ottoman Greece for Greek notables. The relaxed domestic scene above contrasts with the outdoor dress of the countrywomen of Attica below.

The pinks, greens and reds of this plate make it a warm addition to a group of Greek or Mediterranean costume prints.

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