Figure 1.--Renowned French Illustrator Pierre Joubert drew this English choir boy in eclesiastical robes, one of the principal costumes for choristers in many countries. The shield shows that this is an English choir boy. The drawing of the cathedral will help us identigy the specific choir.

Choir boys also appear in French Christmas cards, again mostly in eclesiastical robes. We have noted 20th century Christmas cards, but do not yet have any information on the 10th century. We have also noted some beautiful drawings by French illustrator Pierrer Joubert who is better known for his illustrations of French Scouting.

Pierre Joubert

Pierre Joubert was a French illustrator during the 1950s and 60s executed hundreds of drawings of French youth. Some were drawn in the 1930s and 40s, but most were produced in the 1950s and 60s. He draw numerous pictures for Boy Scout literature. His drawings show French Scouts happily hiking through the country, their banners proudly displayed. The boys commonly wear the berets and short pants that characterized French Scouts at the time.

Joubert Choir Drawings

Joubert drew a beautiful series of four boy choir illustrations in the five different charteristic costumes in which they normally sing in: hooded albs, ecelesiarical vestments (cassocks), sailor suits, and school uniform. Many of Joubert's drawings depict French boys. I thought at first that these were French choir choir boys, but see now that these are boys from different countries. These four drawings can be viewed here:
Hooded albs: Several choirs perform in these hooded white albs. Often these are worn by choristers at schools where the teaching brothers also wear these albs. They are also sometimes used for First Communion. They are based on garments worn by monks in the Middle ages. This boy represents a French choir boy. As this series depicts specifoc choirs, presumably the French illustration also shows a specific choir, but I am unsure which one, perhaps the La Manécanterie des Petits Chanteurs ŕ la Croix de Bois
Eclesiarical vestments: French choirs, like choirs in many other Christian countries, commonly sing in ecleastical robes (cassocks and serplises) when involved in religious services. The illustration depicts an English choir boy. Given the cathedral is shown in the drawing, presumably a specific choir is depicted.
Eclesiastical vestments: I am not sure how to describe this choir costume. I believe it is also based on eclesiastical vestments. It looks rather like the costume of the Spanish--Catalan Boy Choir: Escolania of Montserrat St. Miquel and I thought the mountain in the backgroun rather confirmed that this is the choir. A French reader, however, assures HBC that it is not a Spanish choir but a former German choir of some importance, the Dresdner Kreuz Choir"--Holy Cross of Dresden Choir. He tells us that it was a very renowned Choir. They are dressed with a "Soutane," sort of black dress for priests and a white "soutanelle" worn over it.
Eclesiastical vestments: This choir wears another type of ecelesiastical vestments. A French reader tells HBC that this image portrays a German choir. The boy depicted certainly looks German. Our French reader reports that this is one of the best boy choir in the whole world--the Regensburger Domspatzen. Their uniform is clearly depicted in the drawing. They are known as "the sparrows" (les moineaux) of the Regensburg Cathedral. There are two other towns in Bavaria (Bayer) with important boys choirs: Tölz and Windsbach.
Sailor suits: Sailor suits have been commonly worn by German and Austraian choirs as well as choirs in the Netherlands and Scandinavia. We have not noted French choirs wearing sailor suits, even though French boys commonly wore sailor suits. The one pictuted here is a white middly blouse worn with blue pants. Joubert does not illustrate the cap. The illustration depicts the Vienna Boys Choir in Austria, notice the shield. The Vienna Boys Choir has three choirs and that costumes are different in winter and summer. The drawing by Joubert shows the light-weight sailor costume. There was also a heavier navy blue coat for winter concerts.

Christmas Cards

We have noted 20th century Christmas cards, but do not yet have any information on the 19th century.