Antique Engraving of Lady of Hearts Costume, Worn by Madame la Comtesse de Castiglione, by French Artist Léon Lebègue

This circa 1800s engraving by Léon Lebègue, is entitled, "Costume de Dame de Cœur, porté par Madame la Comtesse de Castiglione, en un bal du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères.(D'après des notes originales.)"

Translated, it reads, "Lady of Hearts costume, worn by Madame the Countess of Castiglione, at a ball of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (From original notes.)"

The engraving itself measures approximately 10 ¼" x 7 ⅜", and the folio measures 15 ¼" x 10 ¾" The engraving is affixed to the folio with a white tape that I've not tried to remove.

Thank you to https://artvee.com/artist/leon-lebegue/ for the information on the artist, Léon Lebègue:

"Leon Lebègue (1863-1944) began his career in Paris, circa 1885, with Paul Colin, then inspector of Fine Arts. He began in the 1890s to pursue [a] career as an illustrator for satirical newspapers: Sun Sunday, Laughter, La Plume, Le Gaulois, La Vie en Rose, the Latin Quarter, The Patriot Illustrated, Cycle, Modern Review, Grimace, Our Caricatures, The Illustrated National, Gil Blas Illustrated, The French Mail, and The Taste Parisien.

He designed many menus, programs, illustrated cards, book covers, bookplates and many book illustrations: Boitelle, The Substitute, The 25 francs from the top, The Mistress and Other new de Maupassant; Regrets Belle Heaulmière of François Villon; and works of Anatole France, Balzac, Théodore de Banvill, Huysman, Pierre Louys, and Musse. Lebègue is also known for having produced many posters, including that of Salon des Cent in 1895."

Thank you to the MET for their biographical sketch of Virginia Oldoini, also known as the Countess of Castiglione.

Also, if one is as intrigued, look up Frenchman Pierre-Louis Pierson and his photographs of the countess.

*****Condition: Please note the engraving itself has discoloration as does the folio, which also appears to have climate stains on the reverse. Please examine the photos carefully and do let me know if you would like more as I'll be happy to oblige.

Thank you for looking.