Wine-making in France. Grape-picking. Original Antique Print c1874.

by The Illustrated London News

Antique print. The Vintage in the Bas Languedoc, South France.

Original wood engraving published for The Illustrated London News in 1874 (later hand-tinted with watercolour). This is a lovely engraving of young ladies picking the grapes in the foreground, and young men picking grapes, raking, carrying grapes in baskets, and loading onto horse-drawn carts.

This is an engraving that appeared within the text of The Illustrated London News, one of the most important illustrated periodicals of the 19th century. Young printer and newsagent, Herbert Ingram noticed that newspaper sales increased when they included illustrations. Ingram moved from Nottingham to London and set up The Illustrated London News in 1842. His chief advisor was his friend, Mark Lemon, the editor of Punch magazine. The illustrations have been collected, coloured and treasured ever since the day they were published.

This is a half page measuring approximately  210 x 290 mm (8.25 x 9.5 inches).