Habit of a Virgin of Thesalonica

by Thomas Jefferys

The hand-colored copper plate engraving represents the "Habit of a Virgin of Thessalonica," now called Thessaloniki, in modern Greece, providing insight into how Europeans viewed Ottoman fashion trends during the 18th century. Jefferys successfully illustrates the blending of Byzantine culture with that of the Ottoman Empire through the use of the bodice design, the shape of the exterior kaftan, and the style of the head dress.

While other illustrations focused on the generalized term "Turquerie," which was common in French salons during the period, Jefferys' engraving gained popularity because it aimed to achieve ethnographic accuracy.