Habillement de L’Empereur de la Chine & Des Dames de Son Palais Avec Quelques Usages & Coutumes Observes en ce Pais

Clothing of the Emperor of China & the Ladies of His Palace With Some Uses & Customs Observed in This Country – Approximate Title Translation

Three full-body portraits show the traditional clothing of the Chinese emperor and two consorts, with accompanying text descriptions. The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.