After Fossey, Brazilian Market Scene with Poultry Seller and Maize Vendor, 1845, Lithograph

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Brazilian Market Scene – Poultry Seller and Maize Vendor, c.1845 This lively hand-colored lithograph, titled “Amérique du Sud – Brésil,” … Read more Brazilian Market Scene – Poultry Seller and Maize Vendor, c.1845 This lively hand-colored lithograph, titled “Amérique du Sud – Brésil,” is from Le Monde en Estampes: Types et Costumes des Principaux Peuples de l’Univers, published in Paris circa 1845–1850 by Amédée Bedelet. The design is by Fossey, lithographed by J. Bocquin, and printed by Lemercier—one of Paris’s most renowned lithographic workshops of the 19th century. The print captures the color, energy, and cultural variety of daily life in Brazil during the early post-colonial period, blending ethnographic curiosity with Romantic artistry. The composition is a bustling marketplace scene filled with merchants, laborers, and townspeople. To the left, a marchand de volailles (poultry vendor) strides forward with a basket of live chickens balanced on his head, his pink-striped trousers and upright bearing drawing the viewer’s attention. Next to him stands a marchand de bestiaux (cattle trader), engaged in conversation with a Charrua civilisé—an Indigenous man shown wearing European-style dress, representing the “civilized” descendants of the Charrua people from the southern regions of Brazil and Uruguay. At the center, a blanchisseuse (washerwoman) balances neatly folded laundry atop her head, wrapped in a vivid yellow skirt and blue striped shawl. Nearby, a laitier (milkman) holds a vessel, pausing as he exchanges words with the washerwoman. To the right, a marchande de maïs grillé (roasted maize seller) tends to her small charcoal stove, the rising smoke and golden cobs lending warmth and realism to the composition. The background reveals simple market stalls, woven reed screens, and whitewashed architecture, suggesting a sunlit Brazilian village or coastal town. This print reflects 19th-century European fascination with the “picturesque” diversity of Latin America. While intended for an audience eager for scenes of exotic life abroad, it also documents the complex social mix of Afro-Brazilian, Indigenous, and European-descended communities that defined Brazilian society. Fossey’s composition combines attentive detail with graceful movement, and Lemercier’s masterful lithography enhances the textures of fabric, skin, and smoke with exceptional subtlety. Condition report: Strong, clean impression with bright original hand-coloring. Moderate foxing mainly in margins; image area clear and fresh. Wide margins preserved. Framing tips: Use a warm ivory or beige mat paired with a walnut or dark wood frame to emphasize the earthy tones of the market scene. A thin inner mat in yellow or muted red will highlight the color accents in the costumes and roasted corn. Technique: Hand-colored lithograph Maker: J. Bocquin after Fossey, printed by Lemercier, Paris, circa 1845 See less