William Warman, 'Eminent Women' and 'Eminent Men' - Rare Separate-Key Edition, 1856
William Warman, 'Eminent Women' and 'Eminent Men' - Rare Separate-Key Edition, 1856
7137
A rare and visually impressive pair of hand-coloured lithographs, *Eminent Women* and *Eminent Men*, designed by William Warman and coloured by J. W. Giles. Published by Owen Bailey of 22 Newman Street, Oxford Street, London, on 17 August 1856, the works present a remarkable Victorian celebration of notable historical figures.
Each lithograph brings together a densely arranged assembly of celebrated personalities, individually identified by a companion key. The hand-colouring lends the portraits and costumes considerable warmth and animation, while the ambitious composition reflects the Victorian enthusiasm for biography, historical achievement, and the commemoration of national and international cultural figures.
This set is distinguished by its uncommon format. Most surviving examples were issued with the identifying key printed around the outer edge of the lithograph itself. Here, the keys were published separately and are independently framed, allowing the central images to be appreciated without surrounding text while preserving the important reference material alongside them. This rarer presentation is both more elegant and more desirable to collectors.
Presented in gilt frames, with the two principal lithographs and their matching separately framed keys, the group has substantial decorative impact and offers an engaging insight into mid-Victorian print culture. A fine acquisition for collectors of British prints, portraiture, social history, and decorative works on paper, or for an interior seeking an unusual and intelligent focal point.
William Warman; hand-coloured lithographs, coloured by J. W. Giles; published by Owen Bailey, 22 Newman Street, Oxford Street, London; 17 August 1856. Sold as a set of four framed works: *Eminent Women*, *Eminent Men*, and the two corresponding keys.
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