Antique 1790 Jean Holbein Swiss Costume Silk Print Christian von Mechel Original

Title: Rare Antique 1790 Hans Holbein Swiss Costume Silk Cloth Print – 16th Century Fashion

Description:
Up for sale is an incredibly rare and beautiful antique engraving printed directly onto silk cloth, dating back to 1790.

The text at the base reads: “Costume Suisse du 16me Siecle d’apres le Dessein original du celebre Jean Holbein”. This translates to “Swiss Costume of the 16th Century after the original design of the famous Jean Holbein” (Hans Holbein the Younger).

This historic textile print was published in Basel, Switzerland, by Christian von Mechel in 1790 as part of an elite “Recueil de Costumes Suisses” series. Rather than standard paper, this specific piece was produced on fine woven silk cloth. It depicts a young patrician woman wearing a beautifully detailed green and black 1500s Renaissance gown.

A spectacular, institutional-quality find for collectors of 18th-century prints, textile arts, European costume history, and Holbein graphics.

Item Details:

• Artist: After Hans Holbein the Younger
• Publisher/Engraver: Christian von Mechel (Basel, 1790)
• Date of Print: 1790
• Material: Woven Silk Cloth Fabric
• Dimensions: Approximately 24.5 cm x 16.3 cm
• Subject: 16th Century Swiss Renaissance Female Fashion
• Language: French text at base

Condition Note:
This is an antique textile item showing natural signs of age. The colors remain vibrant. There is natural age-toning to the fabric, minor spotting/foxing along the outer margins, and expected fraying to the raw, unhemmed silk edges. The lower inscription is highly legible and free from stains. There are light, natural horizontal storage creases across the center, which is normal for an unmounted fabric antique of this age. No rips or tears are present in the central artwork area. The reverse side shows natural ink bleed through the textile threads. Sold as an unmounted textile piece. Please review all high-resolution photos to assess the exact condition before purchasing.

Historical Background

This print originates from the landmark 1790 portfolio titled “Recueil de XII costumes suisses civils et militaires” published in Basel by the prominent Swiss engraver and art dealer Christian von Mechel. The series brought to life the 16th-century Renaissance fashion drawings of Hans Holbein the Younger (Jean Holbein). While standard editions were printed on paper, a very limited, elite subset of these graphics was struck directly onto woven silk cloth sheets for high-end connoisseurs of the late 18th century.

🛡️ Authenticity Verification Guide

To protect buyer and guarantee a smooth sale, this item displays distinct physical hallmarks of an authentic 1790 original printing:

• Manual Intaglio Impression: The black graphic lines display the crisp, raised ink edges characteristic of an 18th-century copper plate press, locking into the grooves of the textile.
• True Ink Transference: The coloring consists of liquid inks that have naturally soaked completely into the silk fibers, leaving a clear mirrored image on the reverse side. It is completely free from the micro-dot matrix patterns found in modern digital reproductions.
• Organic Aging Profile: The irregular spotting, edge-fraying, and fabric toning represent authentic, slow-developing chemical oxidation of organic 18th-century fibers rather than artificially simulated distressing.