Habit of a Merchant's Wife of Paris in 1626

by Thomas Jefferys

The engraving by Thomas Jefferys entitled “Habit of a Merchant’s Wife of Paris in 1626” provides an interesting glimpse into the fashions of the early seventeenth century in France. This piece functions as a “time capsule,” displaying the balance between modesty and wealth that existed in the growing merchant class in Paris during the 1620s. In the portrait, the subject is wearing a high-waisted dress typical of the period. The bodice of the dress is structured and accompanied by an oversized, lace-trimmed falling collar, which is quite different from the stiff ruff of the previous decade.

The clothing worn by the woman suggests that she is a merchant’s wife. She is wearing a dress that is both practical and luxurious, and it appears as though she is wearing heavy woolen or silk fabrics on top of a petticoat with patterns visible through its overskirt. Her headdress is delicate, suggesting the refined status of a member of the urban bourgeoisie in 1626 Paris.