Habit of an Arabian in 1581

by Thomas Jefferys

Take a step back into the carefully recorded world of Thomas Jefferys, cartographer and engraver in the 18th century. This amazing copper plate engraving portrays the “Habit of an Arabian” as imagined in the year 1581. Not a snapshot of modern times but a double layer of history, as it presents the 16th-century clothing style of the Ottoman empire through the refined eyes of Georgian era fascination with “The Orient.”

This man is illustrated with a dignified bearing, emphasizing the beautiful drapery and elaborate headdress common among the Arab nobility in the height of the Ottoman period. The fine detailing brings out the textures of his clothes, from the heavy folds of his outer robe to the delicate knots of his sash.