Antique Hand-Coloured Stipple Engraving – Allegorical Figure with Putto & Roses | Oval | Gilt Acanthus Frame | 28 × 31 cm

Antique Hand-Coloured Stipple Engraving | Allegorical Female Figure with Putto & Roses | Oval Format | Gilt Acanthus Reeded Frame | approx. 28 × 31 cm

An exquisite and rare antique print of the highest decorative quality — a hand-coloured stipple engraving in the refined oval format beloved by late 18th and early 19th century collectors, depicting a reclining allegorical female figure — most likely Flora, Venus, or a personification of Spring — accompanied by a putto (cherub), surrounded by roses and lush foliage in a dreamy, cloud-suffused setting.

The technique is stipple engraving — one of the most demanding and beautiful of all printmaking methods, in which the image is built up entirely from thousands of tiny dots rather than lines, creating a surface of extraordinary softness and tonal subtlety that approaches the quality of a watercolour or pastel drawing. The hand-colouring — applied individually to each print after printing — adds warmth and intimacy: soft blues in the sky, rose and cream in the figure's drapery, delicate greens in the foliage, and the blush of roses in the foreground. A faint artist's or engraver's signature is visible in the lower right of the oval.

The frame is as remarkable as the print itself: a deep reeded mahogany-toned wood frame with large gilded acanthus leaf corner mounts — a frame style associated with the finest Viennese and Parisian framing workshops of the Empire and Biedermeier periods. The print is set within a warm sand-toned mat/passe-partout that perfectly isolates the oval image and gives the whole composition a museum-quality presentation.

Subject & Style

• Subject: Reclining allegorical female figure (Flora / Venus / Spring) with putto, roses & foliage
• Style: Late 18th – early 19th century French / Viennese allegorical
• Technique: Hand-coloured stipple engraving
• Format: Oval, within rectangular mat and frame
• Signature: Faint artist/engraver signature visible lower right of oval — please review close-up photo
• Period: Circa 1780–1830

Frame & Dimensions

• Frame: Deep reeded mahogany-toned wood with gilded acanthus corner mounts
• Frame width: approx. 28 cm
• Frame height: approx. 31 cm
• Frame depth: approx. 3 cm
• Mat: Warm sand-toned passe-partout
• Glass: Present and intact

Condition — Please Read Carefully

• Hand-colouring well-preserved with soft, pleasing tones — no significant fading
• Paper shows age-appropriate toning consistent with period prints
• Minor foxing may be present — please review close-up photos carefully
• Frame in very good vintage condition — gilded acanthus mounts intact and detailed
• Glass intact
• Please review all photos carefully — what you see is what you get.

About Stipple Engraving

Stipple engraving reached its peak of popularity between approximately 1770 and 1830, particularly in England, France, and the Habsburg lands. Unlike line engraving, which uses incised lines, stipple engraving builds the entire image from dots of varying density — a technique that produces a uniquely soft, velvety tonal quality ideally suited to allegorical and mythological subjects. The finest stipple engravings were produced in small editions and hand-coloured individually, making each copy subtly unique. They were collected by the educated aristocracy and upper bourgeoisie as refined wall decorations — the 18th-century equivalent of a fine art print.

Styling Ideas

• Hang in a bedroom, boudoir, or salon for an instant 18th-century atmosphere
• Ideal for Rococo, Empire, Biedermeier, or romantic interior aesthetics
• A distinguished gift for lovers of antique prints, mythology, and decorative arts
• Pairs beautifully with other oval prints, gilded mirrors, or porcelain in a curated wall arrangement

A whisper from the 18th century — soft, dreaming, and entirely beautiful.