1875 Woodcut Alphonse Neuville Agnes Sorel Royal Mistress Charles VII XEA6

This is an original 1875 black and white woodcut of an illustration by French artist Alphonse de Neuville which depicts the lovely Agnès Sorel, mistress to King Charles VII and first officially recognized royal mistress of any French court at that time. She bore him three daughters, and while pregnant with their fourth child she traveled to meet up with Charles in the dead of winter at Jumièges. It was there that she passed away, not because of the crazy risk associated with that kind of late pregnancy travel, but because she was being poisoned by mercury! Although that seems dramatic, mercury was a common treatment for some ailments, as well as a base in several different cosmetics of the time,so its unsure whether or not she was poisoned.

CONDITION

This 136+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light aging throughout. No creases. There is acid staining in this image. No surface rub.No tears. No water damage. Please note that there is a blind emboss mark in the upper left corner.

• Product Type: Original Woodcut; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine
• Dimensions: Approximately 3.5 x 5 inches; 9 x 13 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

This image was selected from a collection of woodcuts and steel engravings prolifically depicting scenes from French history, ranging from ancient Gaul to Charlemagne and his wars, to Joan of Arc and Marie Antoinette. Historically important for French archivists, these images are extremely rare to locate and are virtually unseen individually. Period Paper is pleased to present these beautifully preserved images, which would make an ideal addition to any French lover's collection. To view more images from this portfolio, please click on the link offered below the condition paragraph.

This piece was illustrated by De Neuville, Alphonse. There is no visible artist signature.

De Neuvile, Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe

Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville (1835 _ 1885) was a French painter who specialized in very patriotic historical scenes with subjects such as the Franco-Prussian War, the Crimean War and the Zulu War. He originally joined the naval school in Lorient, France, but he soon realized that his primary passion was art. After his death, several of his pieces were acquired for the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.

Keywords specific to this image: fashion, dress, medieval

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