Habit of a Merchant of Dantzic

by Thomas Jefferys

Thomas Jefferys, the Geographer to King George III, is known for his expertise in creating maps that are accurate and precise. His skills were put to use when he created this beautiful hand-colored copperplate engraving of "Habit of a Merchant of Dantzic" (the modern name for Gdańsk).

The image shows a wealthy merchant dressed in the proper clothes of the time. The clothing consists of thick, fur-lined garments and appropriate headwear suitable for the harsh conditions of the Baltic Sea. However, it is not merely a portrayal of the merchant’s clothes but rather an insight into the aesthetics and societal hierarchy of the Hanseatic League.