Habit of a Market Man in Finland in 1768

by Thomas Jefferys

This striking copperplate engraving created by Thomas Jefferys, an eminent royal mapmaker, gives a vivid insight into the everyday world of a Finnish market man of the Enlightenment era. This print is a valuable document of costume history, depicting with great precision all the layers of thick furs, woolen clothes, and practicality needed to flourish in conditions of Sweden-Finland borderlands.

While other engravings from that period are often depicting idealized portraits of aristocracy, this one focuses on Habit of a Market Man, showcasing the elegance of the working class. From the details of the winter clothes to the stern pose of the merchant, Jefferys has provided not only a piece of art but a vivid proof of the flourishing Finnish trade through harsh winters.