engraving antique intaglio dated 1778, depicting a bust inscribed in an oval medallion, itself integrated into a rectangular frame. The lower part consists of a base decorated with biographical inscriptions. Guaranteed authenticity. You can ask us for a certificate of authenticity to accompany your purchase by message during or after your order.

This is a portrait of Childeric I, king of the Salian Franks.

Childeric I (Latin Childericus; † 481/482), king of the Salian Franks installed in Tournai (Belgica Secunda), father of Clovis I. Allied with the Roman authorities as foederatus, he fought alongside the magister militum Aegidius against the Visigoths near Orléans (463), then again in 469 with the comes Paulus; he also faced Saxon groups in the Loire valley (episodes reported by Grégoire de Tours). Exiled for a time “in Thuringia” according to tradition, he married Basine (Basina), a Thuringian princess, who became the mother of Clovis. His tomb, discovered in Tournai in 1653, yielded a signet ring “CHILDERICI REGIS” and sumptuary furniture (gold plaques in the shape of bees, weapons, harnesses), published by J.-J. Chifflet in 1655: major archaeological testimony of a high-ranking pagan Merovingian king.

Please look carefully at the photos to identify any defects. Portrait with a certain number of defects due to time: stains, foxing and small accidents.

This engraving will be of interest to collectors and specialists of the Merovingian era looking for iconographic representations of Frankish sovereigns; it refers directly to Childeric I, the Merovingian dynasty, the tomb of Tournai and associated archaeological discoveries (signal ring “CHILDERICI REGIS”, gold plaques in the shape of bees). Ideal for research related to the Salian Franks, the birth of Frankish royalty, sigillography and funerary archeology of the early Middle Ages, this image will find its place in collections of medieval history, antique numismatics and iconography of sovereigns.

Your advantages & guarantees: Consolidation of shipping costs in the event of multiple purchases (Ask for the total before paying). Authenticity guaranteed. Careful shipping between two rigid supports or rolled in a tube, to reduce any risk of deterioration during transport (Will be shipped in the original envelopes if any). Legal return if any dissatisfaction! Quick response to any request (information, research, negotiations, etc.). Modification of shipping method possible. All the services and guarantees of a professional seller who loves his products. For the French Overseas Territories, contact me for a more precise (and more advantageous!) shipping cost figure.

Thank you for looking at the photos. You buy what you see. Generally speaking (unless otherwise specified), engravings and other prints will be delivered unframed. I do not sell reproductions! You are about to acquire a real authentic print, please be aware that you are not buying a new product but a work on paper with experience and a sometimes eventful past.