Habit of a Merchant's Wife in Russia in 1765

by Thomas Jefferys

The interesting 1765 engraving created by Thomas Jefferys provides a unique insight into the society of Catherine the Great’s Russia. The engraving Habit of a Merchant’s Wife shows how the culture of Muscovite tradition coexisted with the impact of western style at that time.

The detailed engraving presents the traditional clothing worn by wives of Russian merchants, who still preserved their national character despite the country being rapidly modernized. In contrast to the aristocrats who started adopting French styles, merchants preferred to dress their wives in voluminous clothing made of many layers of cloth.