Habit of a Wealthy Merchant of London in 1588

by Thomas Jefferys

Now step back in time to 1588, the year of the Spanish Armada, as seen by the great engraver Thomas Jefferys in the 18th century. This piece depicts the dignified pose of a London merchant during the glorious age of England. He is dressed in a long, furred robe that stands for his “liquid” wealth and social status in the city, which served as the base for England’s international trade operations.

This piece is more than a costume; it shows the face of those who laid the foundation of the empire.