Habit of a Pict

by Thomas Jefferys

This beautiful engraved print by Thomas Jefferys provides a great insight into the ethnography of the British Isles during the 18th century, according to how the early historians perceived it. In the print, the artist has shown a Pict, who was a part of the tribal confederation of northern and eastern parts of Scotland and who represented the distinctive culture through body art and posture as depicted by ancient historians. This print helps fill in the gap between Enlightenment era scholarship and the idealization of “primitive” European cultures.

This print is an important addition for those interested in British history and historical costume prints.