Marshals Villars and Turenne with Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, 1842

This is an original antique lithograph, hand colored, from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). The upper image shows two marshals in long curled hair. At the left Villars wears a steel cuirass over a buff coat with yellow sleeves and gauntlets, a white sash across his chest, yellow breeches and tall black boots, a baton in his hand and a sword at his side. At the right Turenne, turned to look over his shoulder, wears a gray coat with blue sleeves, crimson slashed puffs and breeches, a pale sash and black boots; he holds out a baton and grips a sword pointing to the ground. The lower image shows Louis XVI in a violet coat over a gold embroidered waistcoat, a blue sash, white stockings and buckled shoes, extending his hand toward Marie Antoinette, who wears a white off the shoulder gown with lace and red bows and a plumed headdress, her hand at her breast.

The plate is lettered "Tom. IV" at the upper left, "FRANCIA" in the center and "Tav. 23" at the upper right. The upper caption reads "Maresciallo di Villars · Marasciallo di Turena" (Marshal Villars, Marshal Turenne), with the second title misspelled on the plate. The lower captions read "Luigi XVI" (Louis XVI) and "Maria Antonietta d' Austria" (Marie Antoinette of Austria).

Turenne and Villars were two of the leading marshals of France in the reign of Louis XIV. Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, born an Austrian archduchess, were both executed in 1793 during the French Revolution.

The plate makes a good companion to French historical portraits or costume prints.

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