'An Anglo Saxon Lady Of The Eighth Century In Full Dress' Antique Engraving

This is the most amazing find. One of 11 plates I am selling from the Introduction to 'A Complete View of the Dress and Habits of the People of England' by Joseph Strutt, with notes by J. R. Planché, produced in two volumes from 1796 to 1799. There is one plate on Egyptian dress from the Introduction (see other item for sale). And then there are another 10 plates from the main body of the book tracing the history of English costume. This is Plate XII 'An Anglo Saxon Lady of the eighth century in full Dress'. These beautiful engravings are all expertly hand-coloured and look wonderful separately or together. I am listing them separately but of course will happily sell them and despatch them as one lot.   This makes a wonderful pair with Stock No. TTP028 'A Person of Distinction of the Eighth Century in full Dress'. Convention dictates that the lady should be on the left (a sinistra) and the gentleman on the right (a destra) so that they look towards each other.

Joseph Strutt (1749 – 1802) was an English engraver, artist, antiquary, and writer. He is today most significant as the earliest and "most important single figure in the investigation of the costume of the past", making him "an influential but totally neglected figure in the history of art in Britain", according to Sir Roy Strong.

In 1770, he became a student at the Royal Academy in London, and was awarded one of the first silver medals to be presented by the Academy; the following year he took one of the first gold medals. From 1771 he began to study in the reading-room of the British Museum, where he gathered the materials for most of his antiquarian works. His first book, The Regal and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of England, appeared in 1773. For this, the first work of its kind published in England, he drew and engraved from ancient manuscripts representations of kings, costumes, armour, seals, and other objects of interest.
He spent the greater part of his life in similar labours, his art in service to his antiquarian and literary researches. Between 1774 and 1776 he published the three volumes of his Horda Angel-Cynnan: or, A Complete View of the Manners, Customs, Arms, Habits, &c. of the Inhabitants of England, and in 1777–8 the two volumes of his Chronicle of England, both large quarto works, profusely illustrated, and involving a vast amount of research. Of the former a French edition appeared in 1789. The latter Strutt originally intended to extend to six volumes, but he failed to obtain adequate support. In 1785 Strutt published his Biographical Dictionary of Engravers (2 vols. 1785–6).

In 1795, he brought out his Dresses and Habits of the English People (2 vols. 1796–1799), probably the most valuable of his works. This was followed by Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801), which was frequently reprinted (its full title is The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England: From the Earliest Period, Including the Rural and Domestic Recreations, May Games, Mummeries, Pageants, Processions and Pompous Spectacles).

James Robinson Planché (1796 – 1880) was a British dramatist, antiquary and officer of arms. Over a period of approximately 60 years he wrote, adapted, or collaborated on 176 plays in a wide range of genres including extravaganza, farce, comedy, burletta, melodrama and opera. Planché was responsible for introducing historically accurate costume into nineteenth century British theatre, and subsequently became an acknowledged expert on historical costume, publishing a number of works on the topic.
Planché's interest in historical costume led to other antiquarian research, including heraldry and genealogy. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1829, and was influential in the foundation of the British Archaeological Association in 1843. Appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant in 1854 and promoted to Somerset Herald in 1866, Planché undertook heraldic and ceremonial duties as a member of the College of Arms. These included proclaiming peace at the end of the Crimean War and investing foreign monarchs with the Order of the Garter.

Condition:  Excellent - no problems. Just needs framing. Dimensions include the Mounting.

Postage:  I always pack everything extremely well to ensure safety in transit. Postage to the UK is free and includes proof of posting and a tracking number. I always send a photograph of the postage label to the customer on despatch for peace of mind. If you wish these posted overseas please contact me first for a price.