An exceptionally rare work on the costumes of the French court from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, comprising twelve vividly hand-coloured plates. Executed with meticulous attention to both costume and hair, these plates usually depict either a man and woman, or two women, from the upper classes of society, engaged in various activities, such as strolling through gardens, courtship, or playing music. The captions below the images, in both French and English, identify the reign of the monarch during which the depicted fashions were worn.
The beautiful plates were designed by Anaïs Colin (1822-1899), a French painter, draughtswoman, miniaturist, and engraver. Over the course of her career, she contributed to more than 27 periodicals, including prominent titles such as Magasin des demoiselles and La mode illustrée. In addition, she published several works on historical costume from mostly France and Italy. The present work is exceptionally rare, as we have not been able to trace any other copies in sales records, institutions, or reference works. However, both Colas and Hiler & Hiler record a work with a similar title and identical imprint, Groupes the costumes de la cour de France, which might be either a variant issue with a slightly different title, or a companion volume to the present work.
The boards are slightly rubbed and discoloured. The leaves are somewhat foxed, the fore edge is somewhat frayed, the fore edge margin of the first plate has been restored with Japanese paper, not affecting the image. Otherwise in good condition. Cf. Colas 652; Hiler & Hiler, p. 175; not in Lipperheide.