TITLE: Set of Three Erotic Boudoir Lithographs, Berlin, circa 1850
DESCRIPTION:
A rare and highly decorative set of three original mid-19th-century erotic boudoir lithographs, published by F. Sala & Co. in Berlin and printed by Gebrüder Waldow, circa 1850.
The series presents three intimate scenes of women in private dressing rooms and bedrooms, combining fashionable interiors, partial nudity and suggestive situations with a distinctly playful narrative. Each composition is surrounded by an elaborate ornamental border and accompanied by captions in both German and French.
The first scene shows three women dressing and admiring themselves before a mirror. Its captions read “Wo speisen wir heut?” / “Où dînerons nous aujourd’hui?” — “Where shall we dine today?”
The second shows two women at their toilette, one seated and the other partially undressed. The captions make a playful reference to money, adding a suggestive social dimension to the intimate scene.
The third, and most overtly sensual, depicts a partially undressed woman alone on a canopied bed. Its captions read “Keine Hoffnung – Alles dahin!” / “Quand on a tout perdu et qu’on n’a plus d’espoir!!!” — “No hope – all is lost!” / “When one has lost everything and has no hope left!”
The bilingual captions are an important part of the series, transforming the images from simple representations of fashionable women into humorous and suggestive narrative scenes. Mirrors, dressing, undressing, private bedrooms and references to dining, money and lost hope give the group the character of sophisticated mid-19th-century erotic and social satire.
Offered together as a coherent set of three original period lithographs.
ARTIST / MAKER: Bülow, attributed; published by F. Sala & Co., Unter den Linden 57, Berlin; printed by Gebrüder Waldow, Berlin
DATE: Circa 1850
ORIGIN: Berlin, Germany
MEDIUM: Original tinted and colored lithographs on paper
STYLE / PERIOD: Romantic / Historicism, mid-19th century
CONDITION: Good antique condition. The sheets show age-related toning and scattered foxing and spotting, particularly in the margins. Minor handling and edge wear are present, consistent with their age. The lithographed scenes retain attractive, delicate period coloring and good detail. Please examine the photographs carefully as they form an integral part of the condition description.
FRAMING: Offered unframed. Any framed or interior images shown are for presentation and inspiration only.
AUTHENTICITY: A set of three original antique lithographs dating from circa 1850. These are original period prints and not modern reproductions.
KEYWORDS: Erotic art, antique erotica, erotic lithographs, boudoir art, boudoir prints, sensual art, female intimacy, female toilette, dressing room, undressing, bedroom scene, canopied bed, mirror, 19th century erotica...
Category
Mid-19th Century German Romantic Antique Paper Wall Decorations
