Heinrich Ernst Asmus, Greek and Ionian Orders Engravings, Berlin, Circa 1835

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A pair of German hand-colored engravings on paper by Heinrich Ernst Asmus, depicting the insignia of the Greek Order of … Read more A pair of German hand-colored engravings on paper by Heinrich Ernst Asmus, depicting the insignia of the Greek Order of the Redeemer and the Order of St. Michael and St. George associated with the Ionian Islands. These compositions match plates in Carl Heinrich von Gelbke’s Abbildungen und Beschreibungen der Ritterorden und Ehrenzeichen sämtlicher Souveraine und Regierungen, published by G. Reimer in Berlin in installments between 1832 and 1839. A date of circa 1835 is appropriate as an approximation.

The Greek composition illustrates seven examples of insignia, including radiating breast stars and crowned, white-enamel crosses suspended from blue ribbons. Portrait medallions of King Otto and shields combining the Greek cross with Bavarian dynastic arms identify the early royal form of the Order of the Redeemer, established in 1833. The arrangement balances the two breast stars above a prominent central ribbon and cross, with smaller decorations distributed beneath and to either side.

The companion engraving presents eight numbered examples of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, including its distinctive seven-armed badges, breast stars, blue-and-crimson ribbons, and ceremonial collar. The collar incorporates lions, crosses, and interlaced initials, while the principal insignia carry the order’s motto, Auspicium Melioris Aevi. Its identification with the Ionian Islands reflects the order’s original connection with Britain’s Mediterranean territories.

Both engravings bear Asmus’s engraved credits and are presented with elaborate French and German captions: Grèce / Griechenland and Iles joniques / Ionische Inseln. Their precise linework and applied color distinguish the textures of ribbon, enamel, and precious-metal insignia. Matching dark wood frames with gilt inner moldings surround shaped mats incorporating separate windows for the calligraphic titles. Exact corresponding compositions are preserved in the digitized Gelbke volume at the University and State Library Düsseldorf.

Measurements: Each framed, 25.125" W × 29.125" H. See less