Habit of a Country Woman near Pisa in 1768

by Thomas Jefferys

The etching titled "Habit of a Country Woman near Pisa" by Thomas Jefferys presents a unique view of the rural population of Tuscany during the 18th century. The print is from his series of artworks titled "A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations," which presented different fashion practices throughout the world. His collection emphasized fashion based on socio-economic and geographical differences within societies.

The print represents the elegant simplicity of the dress of a country woman living around the city of Pisa in the 1700s. While other prints in Jefferys' collection feature exaggerated styles and clothing reserved for the elite members of Florentine society, this one depicts the dress of a woman from the countryside. Her outfit comprises a wide-brimmed hat made of straw, a traditional rural practice of Tuscany. Her bodice is tight-laced over her linen shift and worn with a sturdy, pleated skirt, ideal for the physical demands of farmwork.