Habit of a Woman of Ingria Subject to Russia in 1764

by Thomas Jefferys

This very detailed copperplate engraving, published in 1764 by Thomas Jefferys, features an accurate ethnographic portrayal of an Ingrian woman from the 18th century. The engraving emphasizes the particular aesthetics of Ingria – a region of historical disputes between Sweden and Russia – and the elaborate fashion that characterized its culture, which consisted of layers of Baltic-Finnic and Slavic clothing.

The engraving portrays a woman in a posture that highlights her elaborate headdress and tunic, illustrating the cultural and social identity of Ingrians who were at the time under the authority of Russia. The attention to detail, particularly in the fabric textures, makes this piece of artwork invaluable to costume history research.