Persian Men and Women in Traditional Dress, Antique Steel Engraving, 1859

An original antique steel engraving, uncolored, of Persian costume in two scenes, captioned "PERSANS" and "FEMMES PERSANNES". In the upper scene two men stand in a room with a tall latticed window. On the left a man seen from behind wears a tall fur cap, crossed shoulder belts and full white trousers, with a sword at his side; on the right a bearded man in a tall cap and a long robe with a sash stands on a small rug beside bolsters. A water pipe stands on the floor between them. The lower scene shows three women in an interior with painted panels: on the left a woman with a parrot perched on her raised hand, at the center a woman reclining against cushions with a long necked lute beside a tray of cups, and on the right a woman in a head covering holding up a hand mirror.

The captions translate as Persians and Persian women. The publisher's line at the foot reads "Publié par Furne à Paris" (Published by Furne in Paris), printed very faintly on this impression, and in small letters at the lower right corner of the lower image the printer's line reads "Imp. Delamain, 8 r. Git-le-Cœur, Paris." No artist or engraver is named.

It was issued in Voyage en Asie et en Afrique, written by MM. Eyriès and Alfred Jacobs and published in Paris in 1859 by Furne et Cie, éditeurs, 45 rue Saint-André-des-Arts. The book forms part of the Histoire générale des voyages of Dumont d'Urville, d'Orbigny, Eyriès and A. Jacobs, which presented the voyages and travels of the period to French readers, with plates engraved on steel and printed on separate leaves.

The detailed costume makes the plate a good choice for a collection on the dress and textiles of Iran.

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