Sovereign Grand Master of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Costume Plate, 1844

This is an original antique wood engraving, colored by hand, showing the Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus in the robes of the order. He stands full length on a pale ground, wearing a black cap with a gold band and a large white plume, a white lace jabot and a broad white collar worked with gold scrolls. Over his shoulders falls a long crimson mantle embroidered with gold scrolls along its hem and train, with wide white sleeves also worked in gold. On his breast is the large white cross of the order with trefoil ends over a green saltire, crossed by a twisted green and white cord that ends in tassels in his gloved hand at left, and a smaller star of the order is pinned at right. He wears white gloves, white hose and white shoes.

The caption beneath the image is in Italian, in two lines: "SOVERANO GRAN MAESTRO" and "dell' Ordine de' SS. Maurizio e Lazzaro." (Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus). The block is signed in the ground at right "R. KING, SC.", the engraver's signature, with sc. for sculpsit (engraved it). There is no plate number on this sheet.

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; its 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 plates are relief prints, wood engravings colored by hand with watercolor.

The single figure in its crimson mantle makes a strong costume piece for a study, hall or library wall.

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