Portuguese and Spanish Costume with a Lisbon Fruit Seller and Donkey, 1842

An original antique lithograph, hand colored, from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). The upper image shows four standing figures: a bearded gentleman in a tall green cap, ruff and green shoulder cape over a long pink cloak; a young man in a green cocked hat, green jacket, red waistcoat and full brown breeches, leaning on a staff; and an Aragonese couple, the man in a blue and yellow helmet shaped hat, an orange tabard over dark sleeves and cross laced leggings, holding a club, the woman in a green gown with a lace ruff and yellow trimmed sleeves. The lower image shows a peasant woman wrapped in a pink mantle over a blue skirt, a donkey with a bell and wicker panniers of fruit, a fruit seller in a striped blouse, green skirt and tall white and black headdress holding the donkey's halter, and a woman shrouded in a black hooded cloak.

The top margin is lettered "Tom IV", "PORTOGALLO" and "Tav 5". Under the upper image: "Signore Portoghese. Murciano" (Portuguese gentleman. Man of Murcia) and "Arragonesi" (Aragonese). Under the lower image: "Contadina d' Alenteja. Fruttajuola Lisbonese con l' asino. Donna di Beira" (Peasant woman of the Alentejo. Lisbon fruit seller with the donkey. Woman of Beira).

Although the plate is headed Portugal, two of its figures come from Spain: Murcia lies in the southeast of the country and Aragon in the northeast. The Alentejo is the broad southern province of Portugal and Beira its central region, while the fruit seller and her donkey belong to the street life of Lisbon.

The strong pinks, greens and oranges of the costumes make this a lively plate for a kitchen, hallway or study wall.

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