Auguste Wahlen

'Sous-Officier de Cipahys' Handcoloured Engraving on Paper (1843-1844) Size: 9 1/2 n x 6 3/8 n Until the technological revolution of printing in the nineteenth century, colour was added to illustrations by hand. Even after colour printing was technologically feasible, the highest quality books continued to be hand done until the middle of the nineteenth century. Very few copies of books could be made, resulting in a very high per book cost and very limited sales. Present engravings were made for use in the book originally in French “oeurs, usages et costumes de tous les peuples du monde d’apres des documents and authentiques et les voyages des plus recents” meaning ‘Manners, customs and costumes of all the peoples of the world, based on authentic documents and the most recent trips’ by Auguste Wahlen.