Habit of an Eskimaux Indian of Labrador in 1766

by Thomas Jefferys

Look back in time with this beautiful print from 1766, made by Thomas Jefferys who was the Geographer for King George III. The image shows the indomitable spirit of the Eskimos (Inuit) of Labrador, during a crucial century for North American colonial expansion.

The subject wears a very authentic costume, one created for the harsh conditions of the sub-arctic climate. The costume would most likely be that of a sealskin or caribou parka, recognizable by its long tail and hood. Jefferys is famous for his ethnographically accurate prints and illustrations of the time, which depict people before photography had become commonplace. This print offers a connection between the interest in ethnography during the Age of Enlightenment and life in the "Far North."