STIRRING THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING * Beautiful Antique Color Lithograph Made in 1881

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STIRRING THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING * Beautiful Antique Color Lithograph Made in 1881:
$59.00

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NINETEENTH CENTURY COLOR LITHOGRAPH
(original)

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A Victorian-Era Christmas Tradition

Stirring the Christmas Pudding

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- Made in 1881 -

This is a delightful antique colored lithograph titled “Stirring the Christmas Pudding,” which was made in the year 1881. In the scene presented, we see a young woman engaged in stirring a huge bowl of the traditional Christmas pudding. Surrounding her are half a dozen onlookers, including two other young women, an older lady who seems to be supervising, two small children - and a cat!
Background: The pudding that would eventually become the core of the English tradition of \"Christmas pudding\" had its roots in medieval times. By the middle of the 17th century this pudding was so closely associated with Christmas that when Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans came to power in England in 1647, they had it banned, along with other Christmas traditions, but when the English monarchy was restored, so was Christmas pudding. It was during the Victorian Era that the Christmas pudding became somewhat standardized, as did many English Christmas traditions. Families throughout England began to celebrate the last Sunday before Advent as “Stir-up Sunday,” a day on which all the members of a family would take turns stirring the pudding, which was then boiled and set aside until Christmas Day.
This great Victorian-era image was the creation of British artist Henry Woods.

Henry Woods (1846-1921) was born in Warrington, England and from a young age he was exposed to art by his mother and father, who frequently brought their children to art shows and museums. After early training in drawing and watercolor painting in the public school he attended, he began serious study at the Warrington School of Art in 1857. When he was 18, he was awarded a stipend to attend the South Kensington Art School in London. Four years later he was hired as an illustrator by a new publication, The Graphic, and while working there he began to build his career as a painter. In 1878 he moved to Venice, Italy and established a studio there, but continued to send his paintings to Royal Academy exhibitions in London. The excellence of these works led to him being made a full member of the Academy in 1893. His art works were also exhibited regularly in Venice and he was honored by being made the only foreign member of the Academy of Fine Arts in that city. True to his art, Woods continued to paint until shortly before his death in 1921.

Beautifully colored, this huge lithograph is poster-size, measuring about two feet high! (23 inches by 16 inches, to be exact). This size allows the scene to be depicted in wonderful detail, a life-like image that will display beautifully.

This is just an incredible piece, a large, richly colored lithograph, 135 years old but in virtually pristine condition, representing an age-old Christmas tradition

This early full-color lithograph was made during an era when images in the illustrated journals had been exclusively black-and-white wood engravings. Then, just a few years before this image was made, several British journals began to distribute full-color lithographs in special Christmas editions (work on these had to be begun months in advance, and very often their production had to be contracted out to one of the few firms capable of producing the quality of colored images needed). This very beautiful lithograph was part of a special Christmas supplement to The Graphic made almost a century and a half ago.

This Victorian lithograph is an original antique print - It was made 135 years ago and guaranteed to be authentic, and not a later reprint or any other type of reproduction!

SIZE: This is a large lithograph, measuring 23 inches by 16 inches, including margins

CONDITION: This antique print is in absolutely outstanding condition, virtually pristine, which is highly unusual for these large, double-page images. It has an original centerfold, as published, which will be virtually invisible when this is framed, and it will make a wonderful display piece.

PAYMENT AND SHIPPING

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Payment by PayPalBuyer Pays Only Actual Postage CostsThis item will be shipped in several layers of cardboard for protection. Because of the resultant weight and the size of the package, for shipping within the United States, Priority Mail is the best (and also fastest) way to send this. For this package, the cost for Priority Mail, with Tracking, is $7.80 postage (which includes no “handling charge” or any such nonsense,and it is less than the actual postage cost).

I go to the Post Office twice a week, so shipping generally occurs within 3 business days of receipt of payment.

INTERNATIONAL buyers: Foreign/overseas shipping is not a available for this very large print

COMBINED SHIPPING: Additional items purchased at the same time as this one can often be shipped together at little or no additional postal cost beyond that of the heaviest item - if you purchase more than one item, please contact me to send you a combined shipping Invoice before paying!

Return Policy: This item is guaranteed to be exactly as described, but if through some almost unimaginable error what you receive is significantly different than described, the purchase price will be refunded in full.

Any questions, please email before offerding. Thanks!

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