Three Fine Prints of Persian Costume

[Paris], 1714-15, three copper engraved prints, one hand coloured, depicting Persian costumes.

An attractive, hand coloured, copper engraving of a Persian lady from Le Hay’s ‘Recueil de cent estampes représentant différentes nations du Lévant’ published by Charles de Ferriol in 1714-15. The text laments the custom by which beautiful Persian women cover their hair with a shawl tied under the chin. Along with two uncoloured copper engravings of mounted persians after the plates of ‘Recueil…’.

The Marquis de Ferriol, the French ambassador to the Ottoman court, commissioned the paintings of Vanmour in 1707 and 1708. The prints were highly successful and widely copied and reprinted numerous times for other costume books which catered for the great interest in Orientalism during the eighteenth century.