Habit of a Bashaw of Caramania in 1749

by Thomas Jefferys

The powerful image of the Bashaw (or Pasha) of Caramania, an individual holding a significant position in the Ottoman Empire during the eighteenth century, is depicted in this remarkable engraving. The work was created by Thomas Jefferys, a noted geographer and engraver, in 1749. It is considered a masterpiece of period costume study, presenting the elaborate clothing and materials that marked the power of the Bashaw in the Karaman province of Anatolia.

The artwork is part of Jefferys' famous series A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations. The series provided a visual guide to the costumes worn by various nations and was meant to educate the British people. The engraving reflects the “Orientalist” preoccupation of the Georgian age, focusing on the Bashaw’s elaborate robes, ornate turban, and "Habit."