This pretty pair of color engravings comes from the journal ‘’Costumes Parisiens’’, one of the first French illustrated fashion magazine,created in1797 by the bookseller Sellèque under name of ‘’ Journal des Dames ‘’,and disappeared in 1839.
These two engravings are dated 1808 and 1817 in the upper left corner.
The first from 1808 represents an elegant young man,holding cane in hand,whose outfit bears the funny name of ‘’ Grand Negligé ‘’ that we can translate by Big Neglected !
This engraving is numbered (881).The bottom has been cut a little and we can see a piece of the cardboard on which it is glued.
The second one, from 1817 and numbered (1681),represents a young lady with a pretty hat and an umbrella matching to the blue color of her dress.The outfit is called ‘’Robe a Schall ‘’.
Below,there is a funny hand written phrase : ‘’ Passez votre chemin polisson ! ‘’ which could be translated by ‘’ Go your way scamp ! ‘’
A charming touch of humor that dates almost 200 years !
The current framing dates from around the 1920s,with the original cardboard at the back which bears old labels .
The two engravings are surrounded by a light wood marquetry frame,highlighted with black fillets.
One of the frame has a tiny lack of wood in a corner,and mysterious small perforations on a side.
They have the defects of their age,the paper is stained in places,with foxing,and some tiny pin holes on that of the lady,but this does not harm the interest and the charm of these two old engravings.

Dimensions : 9’’ x 5,7’’ framed (23cm x 14,5cm) 8’’ x 4,7’’ sight (20,5cm x 12cm )

Please,don’t take into account white reflections due to light on the glass.