Habit of the Wife of a Russian Boor in 1768

by Thomas Jefferys

This plate from 1768 by Thomas Jefferys is an intriguing ethnographic study in his large collection, providing an example of a particular social type from 18th century Russia, merging costume illustration with cultural perception of the period.

The copperplate engraving presents a very rare insight into the home wear of a Russian boor’s wife at the time when Catherine the Great was on the throne. The dress, marked by its abundance of fabric and layering, is indicative of the climate of the country and its social stratification.