1875 Woodcut Alphonse Neuville King Henry III France Bibloquet Falcon Dog XEA6

This is an original 1875 black and white woodcut of an illustration by French artist Alphonse de Neuville which depicts the indolent activities of King Henry III of France. As a child, Henry was what one would call a prat. King Henry II and Catherine de'Medici had ten children, seven of which lived past infancy, but Henry III was Catherine's absolute favorite. When he was a lad, he pretended to renounce his Catholic faith, bit the nose of a religious statue, and refused to be sporty or hunt like his elder brothers. Although he eventually returned to Catholicism, he never gave up his effeminate ways. It's therefore understandable that many historians have suspected that he was either bisexual or homosexual. Much like his elder brothers, his reign was filled with nothing but trouble thanks to the ongoing French Wars of Religion, in which he played quite an active role. But mostly, it seemed, he played with a bibloquet and watched his falcon.

CONDITION

This 136+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light aging throughout. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. No water damage.

• Product Type: Original Woodcut; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine
• Dimensions: Approximately 5.5 x 3.5 inches; 14 x 9 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: 16th century, leisure

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