Common Habit of a Young Lady in Moscow in 1768

by Thomas Jefferys

This is one of the most rare and interesting engravings by the cartographer Thomas Jefferys, published in 1768. It gives a clear idea about the unusual fusion of the ancient tradition of Russian modesty and the impact of the fashion of Western Europe. When the process of Great Commission reforming Russian laws was taking place, the daily routine of a young lady from Moscow had not changed much.

In contrast to the elegant ladies portrayed on the paintings in Saint-Petersburg, Jefferys shows a Moscow lady in a more "rugged" manner. Such a lady could be seen wrapped up in a shuba (furred coat) or in a sarafan (Russian women's garment). This portrait depicts the whole picture of how such a lady would look like – from her beautiful kokoshnik to her heavy, dark-eyed face with its whitish color (due to cosmetics).