Habit of a Polish Merchant

by Thomas Jefferys

This authentic engraving of the eighteenth century by Thomas Jefferys provides an ethnographical examination of the dress of a Polish merchant in the sixteenth century.

The print portrays the typical Eastern European style of the time, which includes a long, fur-lined coat called kontusz, tied up with a silk sash along with high leather boots. His headgear is clearly seen to be either a rogatywka or fur hat indicating the position that he holds within society. The artist has managed to convey through his precise strokes the heaviness of the material used in making these clothes.